Reform reported to police over claims of funding rules breach in undercover sting
Reform UK has been reported to police and the Electoral Commission after undercover reporters allegedly posed as an American financier and his UK-based son to fund political polling for the party, in a possible breach of rules barring foreign donations. Channel 4 News reported that Reform commissioned three polls costing £32,500, paid for by the purported US backers, who were actually reporters from investigative group Verbatim; foreign companies are not permitted to fund UK parties, and doing so could amount to a criminal offence. The row lands at a sensitive time for Nigel Farage's party, coinciding with its annual conference in Birmingham and adding to existing scrutiny of its finances.
The Liberal Democrats have formally written to the Metropolitan Police and Electoral Commission, Labour is reportedly preparing to do the same, and the Greens have demanded an investigation, while the Met says it is assessing the reports. Lib Dem spokesperson Lisa Smart alleged the arrangement, facilitated by Farage adviser James Orr, may have breached the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act by disguising a donation in kind; Orr insists no money reached Reform UK and the poll results were published publicly. Reform has dismissed the affair as a hoax by "foreign-funded, climate change activists" and denies wrongdoing, but the claims follow separate questions over a £5 million undeclared donation to Farage from Chris Harborne and gifts from associate George Cottrell, amid a recent slide in Reform's poll ratings to around 23%.
- Reform UK reported to police over alleged foreign-funded polling worth £32,500
- Undercover reporters posed as US donors in sting operation
- Party denies wrongdoing amid other donation controversies and falling poll ratings
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Reform UK, the party led by Nigel Farage, has been reported to the Metropolitan Police and the Electoral Commission over how it paid for some opinion polling. The claim, from an undercover investigation, is that people posing as an American financier and his UK-based son actually put up the money for the polls, when UK election law bars foreign companies from funding political parties.
The Electoral Commission is the independent body that regulates party funding and enforces rules under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act, which sets out what counts as an acceptable donation. Breaching these rules can potentially be treated as a criminal matter, which is why police involvement is significant, though at this stage the claims are allegations that are being assessed rather than proven findings.
This story matters because party funding rules exist to stop foreign money influencing UK politics, and Reform has faced separate questions before about donations and financial transparency. Other parties, including the Liberal Democrats, Labour and the Greens, have pushed for an investigation, while Reform disputes the claims and says it has done nothing wrong.
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