MP Mistakenly Labels Charity Rowers as Illegal Immigrants

A UK Member of Parliament misidentified a charity rowing team as illegal immigrants in a social media post, leading to an unusual mix-up. Rupert Lowe, a former ally of Nigel Farage with the Reform UK party, mistakenly presumed that a boat off the Norfolk coast was carrying migrants. He announced his intention to use “every tool at my disposal to ensure these individuals are deported.”

The incident unfolded when Lowe shared an image on Instagram of a vessel near wind turbines by Great Yarmouth. He wrote, “Dinghies coming into Great Yarmouth, RIGHT NOW. Authorities alerted, and I am urgently chasing. If these are illegal migrants, I will be using every tool at my disposal to ensure these individuals are deported. Enough is enough. Britain needs mass deportations. NOW.”

In reality, the boat was operated by members of ROW4MND, a charity team rowing to raise funds for motor neurone disease (MND) research. The crew included Mike Bates, a former Royal Marine, and three others who are undertaking a challenging expedition from Land’s End to John O’Groats.

After receiving a call from the coastguard, Bates realized they were the ones being referenced in Lowe’s post. “I looked to my right and there was maybe a dozen individuals on the shoreline staring at us,” he recounted. Once Bates clarified their mission with the coastguard, the team continued rowing. However, they were approached again by police who called for a lifeboat to confirm their identity.

The situation took a lighter turn when Bates received a screenshot of Lowe’s post from a friend. He described it as “a moment of light relief.” Bates remarked, “We found it hilarious. I’ve not been mistaken for a migrant before.” He noted that there were people following them along the beach, not realizing they had been parallel to the shore for hours without attempting to land.

The team’s journey began on July 25, 2023, initially heading north into the Irish Sea. Adverse weather conditions forced them to seek shelter at Milford Haven in Wales. They then returned to Land’s End, resuming their journey in the opposite direction. Bates characterized this expedition as a demonstration of “resolve, resilience, and hope.”

ROW4MND aims to undertake four major challenges over four years to raise £57 million for MND research. Their next venture involves rowing from John O’Groats to Land’s End in 2024, followed by a rowing expedition from California to Hawaii in 2027, and a transatlantic journey from New York to London in 2028. To date, they have raised £107,515 for their cause.

In light of the confusion, Lowe later issued a correction via Twitter and announced he would donate £1,000 to the charity. Bates humorously suggested, “Maybe Rupert will give us a donation,” highlighting the unexpected publicity generated by the incident. The ROW4MND team continues to focus on their mission, with Bates emphasizing, “We’re rowing for hope, we’re rowing to find a cure.”