Rupert Lowe has launched a scathing attack on new Reform UK recruits Suella Braverman and Robert Jenrick, accusing them of misusing public funds on a £1.59 billion asylum contract. Mr Lowe, who now sits as an Independent MP for Great Yarmouth, spent the morning on X (formerly Twitter) exposing the “staggering” details of the £1.6billion contract, specifically targeting the legacy of the Bibby Stockholm barge.

The focus of his latest ire is the “Provision of Bridging Accommodation and Travel Services” contract. Awarded to Corporate Travel Management (North) Limited, a Bradford-based firm, the deal covered the operation of the Bibby Stockholm off Portland Port in Dorset. While the barge was finally decommissioned and towed away in January 2025, the sheer scale of the total expenditure remains a major political flashpoint.

Official documents from the CCTM22A01 contract reveal the extraordinary breadth of services funded by the taxpayer. Under the terms of the “wrap-around” support, the Government committed to providing 24/7 security, comprehensive medical care, and specialised transport logistics to ensure migrants could access local amenities on demand.

Further scrutiny of the redacted “Statement of Requirements” shows that the multi-billion-pound deal guaranteed “high-speed Wi-Fi throughout” and the provision of mobile phones to ensure residents remained contactable 24/7. The contract also mandated a professional laundry service, explicitly forbidding residents from washing their own clothes, with a guaranteed 48-hour turnaround for all laundry.

Writing on X, Mr Lowe said: “£1,593,535,200 of public money for this one contract alone… Bradford is certainly a strange place to base such an enormous contract.”

Referencing the contract, he continued: “They are entitled to a varied daily menu, taking into account all religious needs, with late arrivals provided a light snack. Cleaning standards are dictated by the British Institute of Cleaning Science, with cabins cleaned twice weekly and laundry returned within 48 hours.”

Mr Lowe went on to detail what he described as a “gold-plated” service: “The level of service is extraordinary. They are given full Wi-Fi, mobile phones 24/7, organised recreational activities morning, afternoon, and evening every day. Transport requests must be met at short notice, and adequate links provided to local amenities or beyond. All of this is paid for by UK taxpayers.”

The Independent MP argued that the disparity between these services and domestic care is “scandalous,” adding: “These are services that most British citizens cannot access. It is scandalous that public money is being spent in this way while domestic needs are left unmet. It makes me sick.”

Directly challenging the record of Braverman and Jenrick, who were the ministers responsible for signing the deals, he wrote: “I want to know exactly why these outrageous contracts were signed off. This isn’t just mismanagement; it’s an affront to taxpayers.”

He also raised safety concerns, citing a specific case: “One of these asylum seekers was sentenced for sexually assaulting a teenage girl on a beach. There will be many, many others. And yet they are being treated better than British citizens.”

Mr Lowe questioned why the information remains so difficult to obtain: “Why was a Bradford-based firm chosen for such a national service? How were the contracts decided? These questions remain unanswered, and the information is heavily redacted.

“This is one of the biggest scandals of our time. We should not be accommodating illegal migrants on this scale; we should be enforcing the law. The public deserves answers.”

In response to the thread, a Reform UK spokesman simply replied: “This Rupert Lowe?” The party shared an older post from July 2025 in which Mr Lowe had written: “Suella Braverman is a woman of great integrity. She was the only one in the Cabinet with the backbone to speak the truth about the invasion on our borders. Her policies were right for Britain, and I fully support her efforts to finally end the small boats crisis. A true patriot.”

Mr Lowe left Reform UK in March 2025 following a high-profile fallout with Nigel Farage. After having the whip suspended over conduct allegations—which he fiercely denied as a “malicious witch-hunt”—he officially quit the party, describing it as a “protest party led by a Messiah.” He has since established himself as a prominent Independent voice, frequently clashing with his former colleagues as they welcome former Conservative ministers into their ranks.

A Home Office spokesman said: “This contract was awarded by the previous government. 

“Having inherited contracts that were not delivering good value for money, we have strengthened contract management and saved £700 million in hotel costs alone. By the end of this parliament, every asylum hotel will be closed.”