On 13 February 2026, Rupert Lowe announced that Restore Britain was becoming a national political party. "I am today launching Restore Britain as a national political party. Join us," he wrote on X, alongside a launch video.
Lowe, the MP for Great Yarmouth, had founded Restore Britain on 30 June 2025 as a movement. Its launch FAQ described it as "a non-party issue-based membership organisation" that would not stand or endorse candidates in elections. The relaunch reversed that: Restore Britain would now aim to contest elections itself.
The launch
LBC reported that the new party would operate as "an umbrella political party, with locally based political parties as its partners". One such partner already existed: Great Yarmouth First, the local party Lowe had founded in December 2025.
Lowe's launch post drew wide attention. As of September 2026, X shows it has been viewed more than 42 million times. The next morning, Elon Musk quoted it with the message: "Join Rupert Lowe in Restore Britain, because he is the only one who will actually do it!" As of September 2026, that post has more than 230,000 likes.
What it means
Announcing a party is not the same as registering one. To put its name, descriptions and emblem on ballot papers, a party must be registered with the Electoral Commission, which tests each application against the law.
Restore Britain was not yet registered on 13 February. It was entered on the Commission's Great Britain register on 20 March 2026, as party number PP18382. Our registration explainer covers what that involved.
The first days
Membership costs £20 a year. Two days after the launch, Lowe said the party had passed 50,000 members, a figure that comes from the party itself. See our report on that milestone.
Update (September 2026): Since the launch:
- 20 March 2026: the party was registered with the Electoral Commission.
- 7 May 2026: Great Yarmouth First won all 10 seats it contested in the local elections (our report).
- 16 June 2026: The Times reported that the party had about 130,000 paying members (our report).
- 18 June 2026: the party took 6.8% in the Makerfield by-election.
- 30 July 2026: it took 8.7% in the Greater Manchester mayoral by-election (both explained).
For the full picture, read What is Restore Britain? or browse the timeline.
Sources
- Rupert Lowe on X: party launch, 13 February 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Elon Musk on X, 14 February 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Restore Britain launch FAQ, 30 June 2025 (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
- LBC: Rupert Lowe launches Restore Britain as a party, 13 February 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Electoral Commission: registration PP18382 (opens in a new tab)
- Electoral Commission: How political parties are registered (opens in a new tab)
- Rupert Lowe on X: 50,000 members (opens in a new tab)
- Wikipedia: Rupert Lowe (opens in a new tab)