Reform UK Hit With Criminal Investigation After Claims Party Tried To Hide Foreign Donations

Reform UK is facing a criminal investigation after police received allegations that the party breached electoral rules relating to foreign donations following an undercover investigation.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed detectives had identified potential offences requiring investigation after receiving reports linked to a Channel 4 News investigation broadcast last week. The claims centre on allegations that senior Reform figures discussed ways of accepting or disguising funding from overseas sources.

Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, has denied wrongdoing and said it will fully co-operate with the investigation.

The police inquiry comes after undercover reporters from investigative group Verbatim posed as representatives of a wealthy US donor and secretly recorded conversations involving senior Reform officials.

What Did The Undercover Investigation Reveal?

The undercover operation reportedly involved discussions about a potential £500,000 ($677,000) donation from a supposed American financier.

According to an undercover investigation broadcast by Channel 4 News, senior Reform figures were recorded discussing arrangements involving a supposed US donor's UK-based son, who was actually an undercover journalist.

UK electoral law restricts political parties from accepting donations from people or organisations that are not permissible UK donors. The Electoral Commission says parties are responsible for checking that donations come from permissible sources.

The recordings also reportedly included discussions about funding political polling. Reform has argued that no illegal donation was ultimately received and has described the undercover operation as a hoax or entrapment.

Two senior party figures, Dan Jukes and James Orr, stepped down from their roles following the allegations.

The controversy has now moved beyond political criticism, with police formally investigating whether any offences may have been committed.

Met Launches Criminal Probe

The Metropolitan Police subsequently confirmed it had expanded its investigation after receiving reports about the allegations. The Metropolitan Police said detectives had assessed information received after the Channel 4 broadcast and determined that there were potential offences requiring investigation.

The force said the allegations were similar in nature to matters already being examined by its Special Enquiry Team concerning donations made to the same political party. The new allegations will therefore form part of that ongoing investigation.

Detectives are seeking relevant footage from the broadcast and are liaising with the Electoral Commission and Crown Prosecution Service as the investigation continues.

No arrests have been announced in connection with the investigation.

Reform said it denied any wrongdoing and would fully co-operate with police while the inquiry remained active.

Fresh Pressure on Nigel Farage

The investigation adds to a growing financial controversy surrounding Reform UK and comes at a difficult time for the party.

Farage has rejected allegations that Reform broke electoral law. He has also sought to distance himself from the conversations captured during the undercover operation, saying he was not involved in discussions about the alleged funding arrangements.

The party's recent conference in Birmingham was overshadowed by the allegations, with two senior advisers stepping down after the broadcast.

The investigation also comes amid separate scrutiny surrounding a £5 million ($6.7 million) gift received by Farage from cryptocurrency businessman Christopher Harborne in 2024.

Police have not concluded that Reform UK committed an offence. The current investigation is intended to establish whether the allegations amount to breaches of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.

For Farage and Reform, the police probe represents a significant escalation of a controversy that had initially centred on an undercover television investigation and accusations from rival political parties.