Charlie Downes, a co-founder of Restore Britain, has argued that “racism” is “a made-up word used by the enemies of Western civilisation”.
In a post on X on Tuesday, Downes wrote that the word is used “to pathologise preference for one’s own nation”, which he said was “an instinct as natural, normal, and Christian as preference for one’s own family”.
Restore Britain is led by Rupert Lowe, the MP for Great Yarmouth, who left Reform UK in March 2025 after repeatedly clashing with Nigel Farage. Originally launched as a pressure group and political movement on 30 June 2025, Lowe announced Restore Britain’s transition to a registered political party in February 2026.
Restore Britain promotes a stridently nationalist, socially conservative and economically libertarian agenda.
Reform UK suspends Rupert Lowe after public rift with Farage
Following its official transition to a political party, the organisation claimed a massive surge in public support. In February 2026, party officials stated that Restore membership had reached 100,000 individuals.
Restore stood a candidate, Rebecca Shepherd, a 53-year-old local businesswoman, in the June 2026 Makerfield by-election. Shepherd and Restore Britain received 3,111 votes (6.8%), placing third.
Responding to the Makerfield result, Farage issued a plea for Restore voters to back Reform as the main “challenger party to the left”. In a video posted to social media, Farage said: “There’s a couple of thousand voters there who would normally have gone out and voted Reform, that voted Restore. And I would say directly to them, what do you want?
“We are the challenger party to the left in this country. And I would urge you to think again, I really, really would.”
Restore Britain has been recorded running at an average of 4% nationally by pollsters, according to analysis set out by Sir John Curtice at Conservative conference as part of a wider presentation.
Restore Britain is also standing a candidate in the upcoming Holborn and St Pancras by-election.
Downes has served as campaigns director at Restore Britain since June 2025, according to his public LinkedIn profile. He is also listed as a spokesperson for the party.
In his post to X, Downes stated: “‘Racism’ is a made-up word used by the enemies of Western civilisation to pathologise preference for one’s own nation – an instinct as natural, normal, and Christian as preference for one’s own family.
“At least out-and-out Leftists tell you what they believe. Conservatives like Tim Stanley cannot help but disguise their liberalism in the language of patriotism and faith.
“That is why they are the worst enemies of all.”
“Racism” is a made-up word used by the enemies of Western civilisation to pathologise preference for one’s own nation – an instinct as natural, normal, and Christian as preference for one’s own family.
At least out-and-out Leftists tell you what they believe. Conservatives like… https://t.co/c0fsOA6oyW
— Charlie Downes (@cfdownes_) October 6, 2026
Downes was responding to a post by Tim Stanley, a Telegraph columnist and podcaster, who had written that “the basis of Christian social thinking is Genesis [and] Matthew: we are all made in the image of God, we must love each other as God”.
Stanley added: “Christianity rejects racism. That is my final word on the matter!”
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