Tice under investigation by Parliament standards watchdog

Richard Tice is under investigation by Parliament’s standards watchdog over an alleged failure to declare interest.

The probe into the Reform UK deputy leader was opened last Tuesday and relates to rule six in the MPs’ code of conduct.

According to the rule, members must be “open and frank” in declaring “any relevant interest in any proceeding of the House or its committees”, and in any communications with public office-holders and public officials.

Mr Tice claimed the inquiry was about a complaint by an “anti-Israel lobby group” over whether he should have referenced his register of interests at start of “a debate on UK democracy and Israeli influence”.

Without naming the group he was referring to, he wrote on social media: “Contrary to garbage in media: Standards Commissioner is considering complaint by antisemitic anti-Israel lobby group over whether I should have referenced my register of interests at start of a debate on UK democracy and Israeli influence.”

It comes after a separate parliamentary investigation was opened into party leader Nigel Farage’s receipt of a £5 million gift from crypto-billionaire Christopher Harborne before he was elected.

The inquiry into Mr Farage was suspended after he triggered a by-election by resigning in his Clacton seat, but would resume if he becomes an MP again.

His main competition in the contest is comedy candidate Count Binface after the major parties boycotted the poll, which they see as a political stunt.

Reform UK has been contacted for comment.

Labour said Mr Farage’s party “think the rules don’t apply to them”.

“The Reform sleaze scandals continue to pile up,” a Labour spokesperson said.

The Liberal Democrats said voters deserve “answers and transparency” from their politicians, not “sleaze and scandal”.

Deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: “The rules on declaring interests in debates are there for good reason, but the bigger picture here is that Farage and Reform UK are still under investigation for receiving an undeclared £5 million donation from a bitcoin billionaire.”