Overview
- Lowe posted a lengthy thread on X on May 29 saying “we should not import millions of Pakistanis and Indians” and calling for bans on the burqa, sharia courts, cousin marriage, halal slaughter and the kirpan.
- His comments have drawn widespread media and online condemnation and he has publicly refused to apologise, saying he ‘stands by every single word.’
- Official data from the ONS and the Migration Observatory show Great Yarmouth has very small Indian and Pakistani populations and that many migrants work in sectors with labour shortages, which contradicts Lowe’s claim that they are taking local jobs.
- Lowe leads the new Restore Britain party after leaving Reform UK and analysts say his hardline messaging could split the far‑right vote and influence the Makerfield by‑election on June 18.
- The posts have been amplified on X by high‑profile accounts and have raised fears among community leaders that the rhetoric will increase tension for British Indian, Pakistani and Muslim residents and push immigration policy further to the right.