Two key aides to Nigel Farage of the U.K.’s Reform party have resigned amid allegations of violations of British electoral law regarding foreign funding. These allegations stem from an investigative report where a journalist, posing as the son of a wealthy American, suggested donations to the party.
The Reform party has begun an internal investigation following a Channel 4 news report. James Orr and Dan Jukes, two significant figures in the party, stepped down pending the investigation’s results. The party emphasized the importance of an independent review.
Jukes, a close associate of Farage, and Orr, a prominent national conservative figure, both denied any wrongdoing. Farage, in an interview, stated that no laws had been broken, claiming entrapment by journalists.
Channel 4 defended the integrity of its report, encouraging a full viewing of the investigation. The controversy coincides with the Reform party’s annual conference and ongoing probes into donations, including one from cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne.
In a conversation with CBS News, Zia Yusuf, a spokesperson for domestic affairs, downplayed potential impacts on the party. He expressed confidence in the party’s resilience and talent pool.
The Channel 4 investigation involved undercover journalists from Verbatim, uncovering alleged irregularities in donations. The report shows party aides coordinating donations totaling £32,500 ($44,000) for political polls, which favored the party in media articles. Jukes mentioned the donations’ impact while keeping them off public records.
“No money reached Reform UK at all,” Orr claimed, arguing the polls were independently funded.
The investigation includes discussions on circumventing laws for a separate £500,000 ($675,000) foreign donation, though it was never made. During a meeting with the journalist and actor posing as a businessman, Farage acknowledged the fundraising source.
Jukes called the report a case of entrapment by climate activists and denied wrongdoing, stepping back from politics to clear his name. Orr also stepped down, cooperating fully with the internal investigation.
Reform’s political opponents, the Labour Party and Liberal Democrats, have contacted the police, alleging electoral law violations. The police are currently evaluating the matter. The Electoral Commission also communicated with the police, highlighting donation reporting requirements.