Badenoch accuses Farage of ducking TV interview to avoid questions about £5m ‘gift’
Kemi Badenoch accused Reform England leader Nigel Farage of dodging a high-profile TV interview on Sunday to avoid questions about a £5 million “gift” he received from a Thai billionaire.
Mr Farage was due to appear on the BBC’s flagship political program alongside Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday and even appear in online adverts for the program later on Saturday.
But while introducing the programme, Ms Kuenssberg told viewers Mr Farage was not there, adding: “His team told us he had changed his mind.”
In response, Conservative and Labor politicians accused Mr Farage, normally publicity-shy, of being “afraid” of scrutiny of the donation, which was announced earlier this week and referred to Parliament’s standards watchdog.
Ms Badenoch said: “Why did Farage fear interviews today? It’s because there’s something fishy about the £5 million he received. And he knows it. He’d normally be more than happy to shout from a TV studio, as long as he checks the terms.”
Labor Secretary Chris Bryant later tweeted about Mr Farage: “He hates scrutiny”.
Labor MP David Pinto-Duschinsky claimed that he “withdrew from television interviews today to avoid talking about the £5 million donation he failed to declare.”
Mr Farage was referred to the watchdog after admitting he received the money from British citizen Christopher Harborne, who helped finance Brexit in 2024.
The reform leader has faced criticism for not declaring the donation, which was given weeks before he announced he would contest the general election; Conservatives say this should be reported to House of Commons officials.
Mr Farage said the money was “given to me to keep me safe and secure for the rest of my life”.
“I have tried to have security funded by the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the past but failed and I don’t think the state will ever help me.
“I am very lonely and will be for the rest of my life, and I have to face this cruel truth.
“Christopher is an ardent supporter who is deeply concerned about my safety.”
Mr Harborne’s donations to Mr Farage and Reform UK have been a particular source of controversy for the party after he donated a record-breaking £9 million last August and a further £3 million this year.
According to The Telegraph, the £5 million allocated to Mr Farage was not taxable or declared to parliamentary authorities because it was not considered a political donation.
But Labor leader Anna Turley said it was “the latest worrying example of Farage and his MPs believing there are one rule for them and another for everyone”.
Tory leader Kevin Hollinrake also said Mr Farage, as a new MP, would have to declare all political donations and gifts he had received over the previous 12 months.
The Reform leader is frequently harassed in public and is known to have had a milkshake thrown at him while campaigning in his current constituency of Clacton-on-Sea ahead of the 2024 general election.
He also revealed that he was the victim of a firebomb attack on his home in 2025, telling The Telegraph: “It was a complete arson attempt.”
While police are investigating the attack, the suspect has not yet been identified, he said.
