Former Reform leader in Wales admits bribery charges over pro-Russian statements
The former leader of Reform UK in Wales has admitted making pro-Russian statements in the European Parliament for cash.
On Friday, Nathan Gill, 52, of Anglesey, North Wales, pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to eight counts of bribery on dates between December 6 2018 and July 18 2019.
His activities were said to include making pro-Russian statements about events in Ukraine in the European Parliament and in opinion pieces to news outlets, such as 112 Ukraine.
Prosecutor Mark Heywood KC said the offences related to Gill’s time as a member of the European Parliament, having been originally elected for the UK Independence Party (Ukip).
He remained an elected member of the European Parliament until the UK left the union in 2020 and also served on the Welsh National Assembly for part of that period, the court was told.
Media outlets
The bribery offences related to Gill’s association with pro-Russian Oleg Voloshyn, who had been a Ukrainian government official before 2014, Mr Heywood said.
Mr Voloshyn, who also became member of the Ukrainian Parliament, had links to media outlets such as 112 Ukraine with which his wife was associated, the court heard.
Gill’s activities emerged in WhatsApp messages on his phone after he was stopped at Manchester Airport on September 13 2021 under the Counter Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019.
The messages revealed communication between Gill and Mr Voloshyn of an “agreement to receive money in connection with his performance in his duties as a member of the European Parliament”, Mr Heywood said.
They included “posing questions for the consideration of (the European) parliament, making contact with senior officials of the European Commission at the parliament, arranging for events and making statements”, the prosecutor told the court.
Gill denied one charge of conspiracy to commit bribery during the hearing at the Old Bailey on Friday.
Criminal activities
Mr Heywood said the guilty pleas to the other eight bribery charges were “satisfactory” because they reflected the criminal activities.
Defence barrister Peter Wright KC acknowledged Gill was facing a substantial jail sentence, but asked for bail for the married father-of-five before his next hearing.
Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb granted conditional bail as she set a sentencing hearing at the Old Bailey on November 21.
The senior judge said: “This is a serious matter. Nathan Gill has admitted having asked questions, made statements and carried out other activities in or connected with the European Parliament in support of pro-Russian parties in the Ukraine conflict.”
She added that he had pleaded guilty on the “full facts” as disclosed by the Crown.
Gill was first elected as a Ukip member of the European Parliament in 2014 and his role ended when the UK left the EU in 2020 – at which point he was an MEP for the Brexit Party.
The defendant led Reform UK’s 2021 Welsh Parliament election campaign but is no longer a member of the party.
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Where the heck is all the screaming and demonstrations over a senior member of this party accepting channeled Russian money?
Grifters first and foremost
Their response to BBC Wales was this: “Reform UK said: “This is pure desperation from a Welsh Labour Party that is being rejected by the public and floundering in the polls. This sort of gutter politics has no place in Wales.”” That’s a bit rich coming from a party whose leader has pleaded guilty and will face jail time for taking bribes. No, this is not a story they can just dismiss and put aside. Not, when they keep on accusing everyone else of being incompetent, uncaring, blind and immoral.
I hope the other parties are capable of not letting them get away with brushing this off. I shall try to remain hopeful
Come on guys, where is your fury? Why are you so quiet and meek? This is so wrong. A senior political leader cavorting with the most evil of regimes.
No longer a member of the limited company (falsely termed ‘party’)? That won’t wash. Farij, Tice, Anderson (wait for it – no response) will now have to answer IN FULL (don’t hold your breath) for their Putin/Trump loyalism. They are anti Welsh, anti Scottish, anti Irish, anti Cornish, anti Manx, anti Breton (that’s the Celtic nations covered), anti Black, anti Brown, anti European, anti Muslim, anti Arab, anti human, (oh, let’s cut to the chase), ANTI ENGLISH AND ANTI BRITISH. Is anyone yet waking up to the all encompassing FILTH these life destroying underlives are? No? People of Caerpilly- yes,… Read more »
Let’s not forget the Galicians. They’re on the Celtic Nations flag: the sky blue and white section.
This will be a real test for the BBC and ITV. Wales Today and the ITV Wales must start tonight’s programme with this huge news that the last leader of Reform UK in Wales, close friend of Farage, appointed by Farage leader of UKIP in Wales and someone Llŷr Powell (Reform UK’s spokesman in Wales and candidate in Caerphilly) has worked with and for has pleaded guilty to working for the Russian state and being a traitor to the UK state. Imagine if Adam Price had pleaded guilty to similar crimes?
Another (ex) reformer acting dishonestly? I’m shocked, I tell you, shocked! Don’t go looking for bad apples; that whole barrel is rotten.
Was thinking it was about time to watch that film again. Can’t spend all my time in a rage.
Oi, je l’ai dit en premier!
So who else has been at it? The contact should be pursued and offered immunity in return for a list of names.
Starmer allegedly with Labour party donations destined for Corbyn’s shadow govt. Not his leadership bid.
Starmer took Putin cash? Stop the press!
Wonder who was working with them at the time that might be involved in Wales politics at this moment in time. Any staffers, any potential candidates etc.
So the former Reform leader in Wales and former boss of the current Reform Caerphilly Senedd candidate is a self-confessed traitor for Russia! Not only that but he was appointed by Farage who worked closely with him as an MEP when Gill was doing Russia’s bidding for cash.
I would contend in this instance that there is more to this than just one greedy & traitorous criminal!
Takng bribes from an enemy that has threatened us with nuclear weapons and violated UK Sovereignty in Salisbury. And they have the nerve to call themselves patriots?
Patriots to the ruble.
Gill a Russian asset whilst best mates with farage in farages party and farage has a thing for putin, thinks he is the best thing since sliced bread and brexit benefited putin hugely, as well as farage.
Lotta russian in the venn diagram of farage and russia. Almost a circle you could think?
Oh yeah, this.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/oct/10/brexit-party-meps-vote-against-measure-to-combat-russian-propaganda
Surely Farage is now implicated!
He will have deniable plausibility built in somewhere.
You could question why a TV firm losing money hand over fist continues to pay him a lot of money and where that money comes from. I am sure it is all legit.
It was surely always intended by its very wealthy owner as a tool for propelling his favourites into power, not as a revenue stream. The investment will be expected to pay off big time when it succeeds.
Handy to pay someone this way. Then there is crypto. No idea who is funding people that way.
Come on, TV station losing money hand over fist but pays a huge wage. Yeah, legit.
Please God, seriously.
Treason plain and simple. How many more EU Kipper MEPs are under investigation? What aren’t we being told?
I agree.
He should have an appointment with the gallows at 6am.
He’s accepted the charge of bribery. We don’t know if the legal threshold for treason has been met so definitely not plain and simple. What what I’ve read, it’s unlikely. But certainly facing a custodial sentence
How does one gently break the news to children that daddy is a most disreputable traitor and turncoat?
And just think. Crooked Nigel Farage was going to put this corrupt agent of Russia Nathan Gill as Reform UK’s leader in Wales. A warning to all.
I know this is off topic, but can anyone point out anything nathan gill did, or said, during his time as MEP or MS? Im really not sure the bribers got much value out of this!
I never understood his pro Brexit stance given the company he ran was entirely reliant on eastern European workers
Link to the guardian above should have eyebrows raised. Then there is this. Have to dig to find it. The article shows how close this was to putin.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj6xwy015ngo