MP mistakes charity rowers for illegal migrants

A Norfolk MP misidentified a charity rowing crew as illegal migrants, pledged a donation, and later clarified the false alarm while the politics around immigration intensifies.

Rupert Lowe Mistakes Charity Rowers for Illegal Migrants

An Independent MP, Rupert Lowe, posted on X at about 20 25 BST on Thursday that dinghies were approaching Great Yarmouth. The message prompted HM Coastguard to check the vessel and it emerged the boat carried a four person charity rowing crew preparing to travel from Land's End to John O Groats to raise funds for motor neurone disease research. The Coastguard confirmed the crew's identity after contacting them and no illegal entry occurred. Lowe later said he would donate 1000 pounds to their charity as a gesture of support, acknowledging the post but insisting he would use every tool if the people on board were illegal migrants. By Friday morning he explained the unknown vessel was a false alarm after receiving urgent complaints from constituents and said he would not apologise for being vigilant for his constituents. The team had set off from Land's End on 25 July and have raised more than 100 000 pounds so far, with Mike Bates among the crew and planning to continue their fundraising drive. Lowe was elected as a Reform UK MP last year but was expelled in March; no criminal charges were filed.

Public life now travels fast on social media, and a misstep can trigger a chain reaction from police, coastguard, and the public. This episode shows how easily posts mixing vigilance with unverified claims can become political weapons in a heated immigration debate. It also highlights the risk to volunteers who become collateral in political battles, and how quickly a correction may arrive after reputational damage is done. The incident invites routine questions about accountability for MPs on social platforms and the need for clear guidelines when discussing sensitive topics. It also raises a broader question about how political narratives shape responses to humanitarian work.

Highlights

The rowers press on as politics swirl around them.