Farage denies breaching election law over foreign donations
In the United Kingdom, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage acknowledged that the dispute over possible foreign donations is damaging his political party’s image, but denied breaching election law. The Guardian reports.
Farage was asked to categorically rule out that his party had ever received foreign funds in breach of the law. He said this had not happened. The politician also described remarks by his associates, recorded during an undercover investigation, as at least imprudent.
Officials suspended
On Friday, Farage suspended his close aide Dan Jukes and Reform UK’s head of policy, James Orr. According to the publication, in covert camera footage they allegedly discussed ways to circumvent election rules on foreign donations.
London’s Metropolitan Police are assessing evidence following a complaint about a possible breach by Farage and his aides of political financing rules. Sources for The Guardian suggest that a full investigation may be launched; Farage and his aides deny wrongdoing.
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Police may also expand an ongoing review into whether Reform UK received donations transferred through an intermediary from potentially impermissible sources. The party and the donors deny these claims.
The party’s position
Reform UK treasury spokesperson Robert Jenrick said he had reviewed legal advice from a KC adviser who had been consulting the party over the past 48 hours. According to him, the opinion indicates that the party did not break the law, although the circumstances of the case require further clarification and lessons are planned to be learned from the situation.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds stressed that all political forces in the United Kingdom must comply with the rules for financing democracy.
