Former Saints chairman mistakes charity rowers for 'illegal migrants'
Rupert Lowe, who has been the MP for Great Yarmouth since 2024, and served as Saints chairman across two spells between 1996 and 2009, took to X on Thursday, August 7, to say he'd alerted authorities to a dinghy in the water.
In a statement on X, the former Saints chairman said: "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."
Following the post it transpired Lowe had pictured a rowing crew, which included a former Royal Marine, who were attempting to row from Land's End to John o'Groats to raise money for motor neurone disease (MND).
The crew said they'd been contacted by the coastguard and asked if they could see a dinghy nearby.
The four-person crew included Mike Bates, a Royal Navy veteran and British record holder for rowing solo across the Atlantic.
Commenting on Lowe's social media post, he said: "We found it hilarious.
"I've not been mistaken for a migrants before. The best comment was the one asking where the Royal Navy were when you need them. I'm a former Royal Marine, so the Royal Navy were on the boat."
Lowe later took to social media to say he would donate £1,000 charity following his error, before embarking on his "usual daily patrol of the Great Yarmouth coast."
Lowe was elected as a Reform MP in July 2024, before he had the whip removed in March of this year following bullying accusations. He now runs as an Independent MP.
Prior to a career in politics, Lowe was the Chairman of Southampton Football Club from 1996 until 2006, before returning to the role in 2008, before departing in 2009 after the club entered administration.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Influencer Pilot, 19, Still 'Stuck' in Antarctica After Case Was Suspended, Claims Officials 'Won't Let Me Fly Back'
The pilot was arrested on June 28 and accused of landing in Antarctica without permission NEED TO KNOW Influencer Ethan Guo, 19, speaks out after his alleged detainment in Antarctica, following accusations he landed on Chilean territory without permission Guo, who aims to raise $1 million for cancer research, was arrested on June 28 and later agreed to donate $30,000 to a local charity and avoid Chilean territory for three years Despite reports he is allowed to leave, Guo claims he remains stuck in Antarctica, sharing his story in a statement obtained by PEOPLE on Aug. 14 Influencer Ethan Guo is speaking out following his alleged detainment after being accused of landing on Chilean territory in Antarctica without permission. PEOPLE previously reported that Guo, 19, began his journey at Genève Aéroport in 2024 "to become the first person in history to fly solo to all seven continents in a small aircraft. The influencer also plans to raise $1 million for cancer research, per his website. However, Guo was arrested on June 28 by authorities and accused of landing in Antarctica without permission and submitting a false flight plan. He was granted permission to leave Antarctica six weeks after the arrest. This came after he agreed to donate $30,000 to a children's cancer foundation within 30 days and not to reenter Chilean territory for three years, PEOPLE reported earlier this month. In a statement to PEOPLE obtained on Thursday, Aug. 14, the pilot claimed that he's been unable to leave Antarctica. Related: "I've maintained from the very beginning that I am innocent, so I'm grateful to finally have that officially recognized," he said. "This process has been lengthy, and I believe it could have been resolved much sooner had all evidence been considered from the start." "I'm still in Antarctica awaiting approval for my departure flight, and I sincerely hope that clearance will be granted soon so I, and my plane, can continue on my original mission of raising money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital," he concluded. Guo also said he was "grateful" and "relieved" that the charges against him have been dropped, per ABC News. He claimed that he's lost weight during his alleged detainment on the island, saying he felt like a "prisoner" and that authorities "won't let me leave," according to the outlet. Guo's lawyer also told ABC News that "despite his exoneration, the Chilean government has not allowed him to fly his airworthy plane off the base." PEOPLE has contacted the Chilean national law enforcement for comment. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The content creator also claimed that authorities had told him he couldn't leave due to a number of reasons, including poor weather, the plane not being in the right condition, there not being enough fuel and their belief that Guo is not skilled enough to fly. "All four of those statements are objectively false," Guo told ABC News. "I have all the paperwork. I have insurance that even covers Antarctica. The plane has enough fuel, the plane is working. And I am a qualified pilot." Guo also said he wouldn't be able to use a boat to depart due to its infrequent schedule. He added that his goal is to return to his journey. "I want to be able to continue to fight against cancer and continue the mission," he said. In a statement obtained by PEOPLE, Guo's representatives at Croft & Johnson LLP, wrote, "Despite his exoneration, the Chilean government has not allowed him to fly his airworthy plane off the base, resulting in his de facto confinement on the island for a month and a half." 'The stress of this ordeal has caused a severe deterioration in his health, including a 10kg weight loss and a diagnosis of pericarditis (inflammation of the heart's outer membrane)," the statement continued. Guo also shared the letter on his Instagram Stories before writing in another post that he was 'free' and that the plane was 'in flying condition.' 'But I'm still stuck in Antarctica because they won't let me fly back,' he added. He then linked a St. Jude Fundraising page that has so far raised $134,677 out of a $1,000,000 goal. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Rashee Rice's NFL disciplinary hearing reportedly scheduled for Sept. 30, making him eligible for Chiefs' first 4 games
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice will reportedly have his disciplinary hearing with the NFL on Sept. 30, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, meaning he will likely be eligible for their first four games of the season. The Chiefs begin the season against the San Diego Chargers in Brazil on Sept. 5, then face the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants, and Baltimore Ravens — a game that will take place two days before Rice's NFL hearing. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] Rice's status has been up in the air due to his involvement in a multi-vehicle crash in Dallas in March 2024. The news comes following word of Rice's sentencing to 30 days in jail and five years' probation for his part in the crash. At the time of the incident, Rice's lawyer confirmed that his client was driving a Lamborghini that was racing a Corvette involved in an accident with three other vehicles on a highway in northeast Dallas. He was driving 119 mph just before the crash occurred, according to a police report. The drivers of the Lamborghini and Corvette fled the scene without providing any information or checking if anyone involved in the crash required medical attention. At least four people were injured in the crash. Rice turned himself in to the police nine days after the incident. He faced eight charges for his role in the crash, including six counts of collision causing bodily injury, one count of collision causing serious bodily injury and one count of aggravated assault. Two people involved in the accident sued Rice and Teddy Knox, who allegedly drove the Corvette, for $1 million in negligence and punitive damages — a lawsuit that was settled in favor of the plaintiffs, Dallas County court records indicate. The lawsuit claimed that numerous injuries from the crash, including 'trauma to the brain, lacerations to the face requiring stitches, multiple contusions about the body, disfigurement, internal bleeding, and other internal and external injuries that may only be fully revealed over the course of medical treatment.' Rice was also suspected of assaulting a photographer in May, but the alleged victim dropped the charges and incurred no punishment from the league. The looming suspension was very likely a factor in Kansas City drafting Texas receiver Xavier Worthy in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. The Chiefs traded up from the No. 32 selection in the first round to No. 28 to select the speedster. This story will be updated.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Michigan football rumors: NCAA sign-stealing ruling nearing for Sherrone Moore, Wolverines
The post Michigan football rumors: NCAA sign-stealing ruling nearing for Sherrone Moore, Wolverines appeared first on ClutchPoints. It's been almost two years since the NCAA opened up its investigation on the Michigan football team for illegal in-person scouting. We still don't know what the punishment will be for the Wolverines, but it sounds like the official NCAA ruling will be public soon. A lot of rumors are floating around regarding when the ruling will go down and what the punishment will be, and it sounds like Sherrone Moore and Michigan could hear this week. Rival fans have fantasized about the 'hammer' dropping on the Michigan football program for the last couple of years, so it will be interesting to see what the punishment is. Those fans might be upset as it sounds like it probably won't be too extreme. 'In speaking with our colleagues close to it, both on the local and national level, they all say the same thing — they expect a short suspension for head coach Sherrone Moore, a large fine, show causes for [Jim] Harbaugh and [Connor] Stalions, maybe some recruiting restrictions … all things we've reported we expect,' a report from On3 states. 'In fact, nobody credible has suggested it will be anything other than that, frankly.' College football fans that reside in East Lansing and Columbus are hoping for vacated wins and postseason bans, but it doesn't sound like either of those things will happen. 'There have been rumblings in the last 24 hours that it's headed this way,' the report continued. 'There's essentially been a gag order since the June meeting in front of the Committee on Infractions, so people have been extremely tight on sharing information … as they should be. We do know (for a fact) some who would be in the know at Michigan didn't expect postseason bans, vacated wins, or any of that — again, as we, the national media and others have said — and to think they don't have connections at the NCAA (they do) is naïve.' Sherrone Moore is already set to serve a two-game self-imposed suspension early in the 2025 season. It's hard to imagine the NCAA not adding on some more games to that, so it will be interesting to see which games Moore misses. The self-imposed suspension is for weeks three and four when the Wolverines host Central Michigan and travel to Nebraska. Michigan plays on the road against #18 Oklahoma in Week 2, and that is where Moore played college football. That is a game that he wants to coach in for a lot of reasons, but the NCAA could suspend him for it. It sounds like the Michigan football team will receive its sign-stealing punishment soon, so keep an eye on the news in the coming days. While the rumblings sound positive for the Wolverines, there is nothing official. The punishment could be more extreme than what some of these rumors state. Related: Top 5 USC football position battles to watch before Week 1 Related: Colin Cowherd shades Texas football amid 'new Alabama' chatter
