Jenrick ‘confident’ Reform followed electoral law after Cottrell donation claims

Abbie Llewelyn, Rhiannon James and George Thompson, Press Association political staff

Reform UK’s Robert Jenrick has said he is “entirely confident” his party followed all electoral rules after reports about a wealthy backer transferring money to his mother before her donations.

The Guardian reported that George Cottrell transferred more than two million dollars (£1.5 million) to his mother Fiona Cottrell shortly before she donated to Reform in 2024.

The party’s finances have come under scrutiny in recent weeks, and the Metropolitan Police are looking at whether donors might have circumvented restrictions on the sources of political funding.

Asked by reporters whether he was 100% sure the money came from permissible sources under electoral law, Mr Jenrick said: “The donations you’re referring to were some time ago. This has been going on for a long time.

“But we are entirely confident that Reform followed all electoral rules at the time when the donations were made.

“Of course, we will participate with any inquiries.

“To the best of my knowledge, we haven’t even been contacted by the police, so I don’t think we have anything more to add to that.”

Ms Cottrell is thought to have received one deposit of 1.4 million dollars and then two tranches of more than 300,000 dollars each.

She allegedly told bankers the money came from her son when she was asked about the deposits.

She received the money around 24-72 hours before she made a donation either to Reform UK directly or to the company Britain Means Business, according to The Guardian.

The Met’s investigation concerns donations to Reform UK from Britain Means Business, a fundraising vehicle whose director is the party’s deputy leader Richard Tice.

The Times previously reported that the firm gave Reform two donations of £250,000 in the run-up to the 2024 general election.

The money was paid to his company by Reform donor Ms Cottrell, Mr Tice has previously said.

Reports suggest she gave £1 million to Britain Means Business in June 2024, and half of that money was then given to Reform.

Mr Cottrell is a convicted criminal who provided funding for Nigel Farage’s security and staffing in the year before he was elected.

Responding to the press conference, a Labour Party spokesperson accused Reform of trying to minimise the importance of serious questions about the donations, saying they are “up to their neck in sleaze and dodgy money”.

They added: “If these latest claims about George Cottrell are true, Reform may have taken money from a convicted fraudster who was the ultimate source of the donations.

“That would mean Reform accepted his money even though he has never shown he was legally allowed to donate to a political party at the time.”

Mr Jenrick’s comments came during a press conference on social care, where he attacked funding the system through a “death tax”, under which HMRC “knock at the door” to “value your relative’s estate”.

The Government has not announced such a tax, but Mr Jenrick argued Prime Minister Andy Burnham had “conspicuously refused” to rule one out.

As health secretary in 2010, Mr Burnham had suggested a levy to pay for the then-Labour government’s proposed national care service could take 10% off people’s estates after they died.

But the plans were scuppered by the Conservatives, who accused Labour of levying a “death tax” to pay for their proposed new care service.

Mr Jenrick also insisted that fixing the social care crisis is a priority for Reform when asked why the party does not have a health and social care spokesperson and if that shows they are not taking the issue seriously.

He responded: “No, we’re holding this press conference today. Have other opposition parties held a press conference dedicated to social care and this response? I haven’t seen them.

“Reform is currently running 30 local authorities across the country which have responsibility for social care, more than any of the other political parties.

“We are absolutely at the coalface of this, trying to do our utmost to support people in difficult times. Don’t tell us we don’t care about this issue. We really do.

“What we don’t want to see is hardworking Brits having to pick up the price of that for losing their home, losing their nest egg, not being able to hand that on to their children and their grandchildren. That’s the point that we’re making today.”

Reform leader Nigel Farage said in April he was looking to appoint a health spokesman.

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