
Reform's George Madgwick was accused by Labour MP Darren Paffey of lobbying against the RNLI.
A Reform UK councillor has said he has received "extreme abuse" after an MP criticised his stance on the RNLI's role in rescuing migrants.
RNLI volunteers faced online abuse, while Portsmouth's lifeboat station has been closed, after a protest on 6 September at Eastney following a Channel small boat crossing.
Southampton Itchen Labour MP Darren Paffey accused Reform's Hampshire leader George Madgwick of lobbying against the RNLI and described his stance as "incomprehensible".
Madgwick said RNLI members "should never be personally attacked" but he did not "politically or morally agree" with the charity's role in picking up migrants. He said he had since been "assigned security".
Following the demonstration, some RNLI crew members were subsequently targeted by protesters, sharing their photos and names in posts on social media accusing them of treason.
Paffey accused Madgwick of saying people should "lobby against RNLI" and "withdraw your support and funding" for the charity, which has its headquarters in Poole, Dorset, in the aftermath of the abuse of the crew members.
He said Madgwick was not "fit to lace the boots of a single brave RNLI volunteer".
But in a letter to the MP on Monday, Madgwick - who sits on Hampshire County Council and Portsmouth City Council - insisted he was "not starting, leading or operating a Lobby group against the RNLI".
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