London police investigate Reform UK over alleged illegal foreign donations

Two Reform UK aides have stepped down since the broadcast

London’s Metropolitan Police have opened an investigation into Reform UK over allegations the party accepted foreign donations in violation of British campaign finance laws, following an undercover report by Channel 4 News.

The Met said in a statement that “following a broadcast by Channel 4 News on Thursday, Sept. 3, the Met received a number of reports relating to donations and polling involving a political party.” Detectives “have assessed the information provided and determined that there are potential offenses requiring investigation,” the statement added.

According to UPI, undercover reporters from Channel 4 visited with Reform UK’s former director of policy James Orr and then-chief of staff Dan Jukes, posing as the British son of a wealthy American who wanted to funnel money through his son to circumvent British campaign finance laws. The reporters said the Reform aides arranged for the American money to fund three Reform-commissioned polls that were unknowingly reported as independent in the British press.

Those polls, according to UPI’s account, helped drive narratives before May’s elections, making it appear that Reform UK was gaining momentum against both the Labour Party and the center-right Conservative Party.

A Reform UK spokesperson told CNN the party “denies any wrongdoing and will cooperate fully with the investigation.” Orr and Jukes have since stepped down from their roles.

According to UPI, Farage — a British ally of U.S. President Donald Trump — told the BBC he “frankly wasn’t listening” when the aides discussed the donation. Channel 4 News reported that the payment was never made. Farage also said the aides’ comments in the videos were “loose pub talk including a couple of boasts that simply were not true.”

The Met said it would merge the new investigation with one already underway into other donations to the party.

The Guardian reported in April that in 2024, Farage had accepted a $6.8 million donation from a Thai-based billionaire that he did not disclose.

Political reaction followed the investigation announcement. Labour Party Chair Bridget Phillipson said, according to the BBC, that “Farage needs to wake up and realise the buck stops with him” and that “Reform’s failure to take responsibility for their actions shows just how unfit they are for office.” Liberal Democrat Cabinet Office spokeswoman Lisa Smart said “every Reform MP urgently needs to state whether they or their campaigns have benefited from any foreign money.”