Reform UK Faces Police Probe Over Foreign Donation Plot

The Metropolitan Police and the Electoral Commission are assessing reports that Reform UK breached political donation laws. An undercover investigation by Verbatim and Channel 4 News alleges party officials accepted £32,500 from a fake American firm to fund three polls. Footage shows senior adviser Dan Jukes suggesting a US donor channel funds through a UK-based son, while head of policy James Orr suggested the party could "easily get away with it." The polls appeared in The Telegraph and The Times without disclosing the party's involvement.

Reform UK denies any wrongdoing, calling the investigation a "hoax" by climate change activists. The party's leader, Nigel Farage, was filmed celebrating the polling results, though James Orr later claimed no money reached the party directly. Separately, Farage is under parliamentary investigation regarding an undeclared £5 million personal gift from Thailand-based investor Christopher Harborne.

These allegations emerge as the party reports £5.3 million in second-quarter donations for 2026, the highest among main UK parties. This total was heavily supported by crypto billionaire Ben Delo, who contributed £4 million. The funding follows the introduction of a government cap in March limiting overseas investor contributions to £100,000, a measure legislated through the Representation of the People Bill. While Reform UK maintains its vetting process is robust, the Liberal Democrats, Labour, and Green parties have called for full investigations into the party's financial conduct.