Reform reported to police over claims of funding rules breach

Sophie Wingate, Press Association Deputy Political Editor

Reform UK has been reported to the police over allegations it breached political donation rules by having polling paid for by an overseas company.

Nigel Farage’s party took funding from a US firm for three polls it commissioned earlier this year costing £32,500, Channel 4 News reported.

The purported donors were in fact undercover reporters from investigative group Verbatim posing as an American financier and his UK-based son.

Foreign companies are not a permissible source of funding for parties, including for payments for studies and research, under electoral law.

The Liberal Democrats have written to the Metropolitan Police and Electoral Commission.

Labour also intends to report the matter to the police, it is understood, and the Greens have called for a probe.

In a letter to the Met’s special enquiry team, Lib Dem Cabinet Office spokeswoman Lisa Smart wrote: “I am writing to report to your unit a potential serious breach of electoral law, involving the acceptance and concealment of a donation from an impermissible donor.

“The breach raises alarming questions about whether there has been a wider complacency toward foreign interference by the individuals involved.”

Ms Smart said that James Orr, a senior adviser to Mr Farage, facilitating the £32,500 donation from an impermissible donor would mark a breach of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act.

She continued: “The funding appears to have been channelled into political spending on behalf of Reform UK, and therefore a donation in kind, in a manner apparently structured so as to avoid the payment being recorded and reported as a donation to the Electoral Commission. This would constitute a clear breach of section 61 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act.”

Reform, which is holding its party conference in Birmingham, denies any wrongdoing.

The revelations by Channel 4 and Verbatim come amid ongoing scrutiny on funding both Mr Farage and his party have received.

The Reform leader faces a parliamentary investigation into whether he should have declared a £5 million gift from the crypto-billionaire Christopher Harborne given shortly before he was first elected to the Commons in 2024.

‘Sleaze’

Labour Party chairwoman Bridget Phillipson said: “This scandal goes right to the top of Reform UK. Nigel Farage needs to urgently prove today that his top team haven’t broken the law and secretly plotted to undermine our democracy.

“It’s not just Farage’s secret £5 million ‘gift’. Time and again he and his mates think the rules don’t apply to them. The sleaze and scandal now engulfing him and his party isn’t going away – it’s getting worse.

“It’s time to stop the deflections and desperate excuses. Farage and Reform must co-operate with the authorities to establish the truth and prove just how deep this scandal goes.”

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey told Channel 4 News: “Let’s not pre-empt the police investigation and what the Electoral Commission find. But if they are found guilty, he (Mr Farage) should face the full force of the law, and that could be very, very heavy fines. It could even be a prison sentence.”

Green Party leader Zack Polanski said: “These very serious claims should be fully investigated by the Electoral Commission and the police.

“There are millions of reasons why Nigel Farage is happy to take money from billionaires, climate science deniers and secret foreign backers, and not one of them is because he has any interest in improving people’s lives.”

Chairwoman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee Dame Emily Thornberry said: “It is a criminal offence to knowingly receive a donation for a political party from a foreigner with no connection to the UK.

“What has been caught on camera by Channel 4 looks to be very serious indeed. I expect the police to investigate.

“We must protect our democracy from foreign interference and keep all dodgy money out.”

‘Hoax’

Reform said it had “been the target of a hoax perpetuated by foreign-funded, climate change activists posing as would-be party donors”.

It added: “The party denies any wrongdoing.

“Reform UK has a robust vetting process for prospective donors approved by the Electoral Commission.”

An Electoral Commission spokesperson said: “The law requires political parties to report all permissible donations they accept with a value over £11,180 and all impermissible donations over £500.

“Information about any potential attempt to evade the controls on donations is for the police to consider.”

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