Nigel Farage admits George Cottrell paid for filming and let him use his home | Nigel Farage
Nigel Farage has admitted letting close friend fraudster George Cottrell use one of his London homes and paying for social media shoots before the last election – but insisted it was “in no way declarable”.
The Reform UK leader spoke in depth for the first time about the support he received from Cottrell and the £5 million gift he received from Thailand-based businessman Christopher Harborne in an interview with the anti-woke Triggernometry podcast.
He accepted that the parliamentary standards system could have worked against him but claimed he had received advice from a “top international lawyer” who told him the £5m did not need to be declared because it was unconditional.
Regarding Cottrell, Farage said his friend had given him nothing since his election in July 2024 and that financial support before then was “irrelevant” and unrelated to politics.
The Reform UK leader also claimed his party was unfairly targeted over a £500,000 donation to the party by Cottrell’s mother Fiona; This donation is currently under investigation by the police as to whether it was the true source of the funds.
But in an apparent slip of the tongue, Farage said it was a donation from Cottrell, then corrected himself by saying it was from his mother, claiming it was a plot against the party.
“The idea that his donation – that it was his mother’s donation – was reported to the NCA in September 2024. The police followed it up in the spring of 2025. Why is it a story now? It’s a story now because everything is co-ordinated together to throw us off the game. That’s why I’m fighting this by-election. I say: let the people decide.”
The in-kind support Farage received from Cottrell and the £5 million he received from Harborne just before the last election are currently under investigation by the standards commissioner over whether they should be publicly registered.
Financial support must be declared within 12 months of the MP’s election if it has any connection with his or her political activities.
Although the standards commissioner has yet to give feedback, Farage has called a by-election in the Clacton constituency to allow voters to decide whether they want him as their MP, despite being boycotted by the major parties. He could face a second byelection if the commissioner rules against him and the sentence is enough to trigger a recall petition.
About the financial support he received from Cottrell before July 2024, Farage told the podcast: “At that time in my life, 2021 to 3 June 2024, I was a broadcaster, I was a celebrity TV appearance, I was a promoter of some financial market products, I was an influencer, I had a sizeable 5 million followers, so it’s not in the public interest or on the record for George to do me a favor by doing that sort of thing.” “It’s irrelevant. I wasn’t in politics, it’s literally nobody’s business and can’t be declared in any way.”
He also defended his decision to remain loyal to Cottrell, a member of his inner circle who Farage described as “an extremely colorful character”.
Farage said of Cottrell’s conviction and imprisonment for fraud in the US in 2017: “George got into trouble in America as a young man. If you get involved in tax avoidance schemes, it’s very easy to get into very, very big trouble in America.”
Reform UK is also under scrutiny over £1 million sent by Fiona Cottrell before the last election to Britain Means Business, which is controlled by Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice. £500,000 of this was then sent to Reform UK by Britain Means Business.
The Guardian previously reported that Fiona Cottrell did not send the money directly to her Britain Means Business account. It was routed through a UK bank account of an Australian money exchange platform called Oneify.
Sunday Times reported this weekend He said George Cottrell opened an account with a money transfer firm called Oneify in May 2024.
Asked this month whether Cottrell transferred money to his mother before donating to Reform, his lawyers at Carter-Ruck said: “My client confirmed his mother’s instructions that the donations she made were entirely her own decision.” The lawyers added: “That’s why he refuses to meet you. [wider] questions.”
In an earlier letter to the Guardian, the lawyers stated that “her mother’s donations were entirely her own decision and her business.” They added that “allegations that he made an impermissible donation to Reform UK are unfounded.” Fiona Cottrell refused to speak to the media about the donations.
