Farage says donations row ‘looks bad’ for Reform after undercover sting derailed party conference
- Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has admitted that undercover footage showing senior party figures discussing how to disguise foreign donations “looks bad”, following a Channel 4 sting that disrupted the party’s annual conference in Birmingham.
- The footage, captured by undercover group Verbatim, showed discussions about routing a £500,000 donation from an American donor through his UK-based son, a proposal that could constitute a breach of electoral law regarding foreign funding.
- Farage told the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg he “frankly wasn’t listening” during the recorded conversation involving his former chief of staff and predicted that Reform UK will face many more investigations in the coming months, while he also stated “we are not the first people to be involved in a row over donations”.
- The Metropolitan Police confirmed they are reviewing complaints lodged by the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats regarding the allegations surrounding the party’s donation practices.
- Reform spokesman Robert Jenrick stated that legal advice from a KC confirmed the party did not break the law, though he acknowledged that lessons would be learnt to ensure strict compliance in the future.
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