Nigel Farage Faces Probe Over Secret Reform UK Deal

An investigation by The Sunday Times reveals that Nigel Farage struck a secret agreement to return as leader of Reform UK in March and April 2024. This contradicts Farage's public claims that he only decided to return to politics in June 2024, a timeline he used to justify not declaring a 5 million pound gift from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne to parliamentary authorities.

The pact, negotiated with former leader Richard Tice and supervised by convicted fraudster George Cottrell, stipulated that the party would repay or write off over 1 million pounds in loans from Tice's company, Tisun Investments. Former Reform UK treasurer Mehrtash A’Zami stated he was instructed to implement this repayment schedule before the election was called. Further allegations suggest a potential criminal offense involving a 200,000 pound payment to Tice's personal account in June 2024, which contradicts Electoral Commission filings.

Farage is currently contesting a by-election in Clacton after resigning as an MP, a move that paused a Parliamentary Standards Commissioner probe. He is also facing scrutiny from Scotland Yard and the National Crime Agency regarding the Harborne gift and financial support from Cottrell. Farage dismissed the reports as a coordinated pile-on, while Labour Party Chair Bridget Phillipson characterized the situation as a stench of sleaze.