It turns out that running a business during a pandemic can be surprisingly lucrative – at least for Rupert Lowe, the Reform UK MP for Great Yarmouth. While promising to donate his MP’s salary to good causes, his company quietly collected £100,000 in furlough funds despite reporting profits that would make a banker blush.
Profits Rolling In, Grants Going Out
Lowe is linked to Biopharma Process Systems Ltd, a Covid testing company that racked up an impressive £7.9 million pre-tax profit in 2021, followed by a tidy £2.65 million in 2022. Despite its success, the company still claimed £141,741 in government grants during the same period, including furlough cash.
While Lowe isn’t accused of any wrongdoing, the optics of a profitable company taking taxpayer money have raised eyebrows.
“I’m Not the Boss”
Lowe insists he had no say in the day-to-day operations at Biopharma, describing himself as a non-executive director. “I bring valuable business experience to Parliament,” he said. “But in no way am I the ‘boss’ of Biopharma.”
And while the company benefitted handsomely from pandemic-related funds, Lowe himself has been vocal about his opposition to lockdowns and widespread Covid testing. He branded the government’s pandemic response as “the biggest policy mistake inflicted on the British population in my lifetime.”
Salary Promises Under Scrutiny
During his campaign, Lowe pledged to donate his MP salary to local good causes. However, questions remain about why the donations so far haven’t covered the full amount he’s earned in office. While organisations like Great Yarmouth Town FC and Hemsby Lifeboat have received some funding, there’s been no clear explanation for why the entirety hasn’t been given away yet.
A Final Word
Lowe took a swipe at his political peers, saying, “Plenty of MPs wealthier than me happily take their salaries. That’s their decision.” But critics are questioning whether a company with millions in profit should’ve taken furlough cash in the first place—and why Lowe hasn’t fully delivered on his promises to voters.
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