Farage referred to watchdog for investigation over donations from convicted criminal

The Electoral Commission has been called to investigate Nigel Farage over allegations that he failed to properly declare donations from a convicted criminal over five years.

Ben Habib, former deputy chairman of Reform UK, said: Independent asked the watchdog to investigate a failure to declare donations from George Cottrell, a convicted money launderer who provided Mr Farage with accommodation and paid for his security during that period.

Labor Party leader Anna Turley also published a letter to the Electoral Commission calling for the commission to investigate.

The row appears to have had an impact on the beleaguered Mr Farage, who is currently under investigation by the parliamentary standards watchdog over a £5 million donation he received from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne that he failed to declare.

The Reform UK leader was seen having an angry outburst on Sky News at the airport upon his return from the USA, accusing him of harassing his daughter over this issue.

Reform said Mr Farage was not politically active before joining parliament in the 2024 election and declared whatever was available, but Mr Habib, who was central to the party’s operations at the time, disputed those claims.

he said Independent“It is wrong to suggest that Farage was not in politics when he accepted Cottrell’s generosity. He was Reform’s largest shareholder and director. He controlled Reform.”

“Under Electoral Commission regulations, regulated donors (Farage was one of them) are obliged to disclose donations. He did not make a single disclosure between 2019 and July 2024.”

Giving an example of Mr Farage being politically active at the time, he continued: “I certainly know that Farage was instrumental in recruiting. [Tory defector] Lee Anderson to the party. This was early 2024. I was against Lee’s hiring. Farage wanted him.”

Mr Habib fell out with Mr Farage publicly and briefly left the party after the 2024 general election to form his own political party, Advance UK.

The Electoral Commission has confirmed that people do not need to be elected MPs to be included in its rules.

A spokesman said the rules apply to all members of registered political parties, relevant elected office holders and association members.

The spokesman said: “Any member of a registered political party is a regulated donor, even if they are not an MP or other elected office holder. Regulated donors are subject to controls on the donations and loans they may accept in connection with their political activities as a regulated donor.”

“For party members, this means donations towards their political activities within the party, including campaigning in leadership elections or candidate elections, or developing or promoting policies to be adopted by the party.”

It was also stated that Mr Farage would be subject to declarations as a member of the European Parliament for the period between May 2019 and 31 January 2020.

The spokesman said: “Before the UK left the European Union, a Member of the European Parliament was classed as the holder of the relevant elective office and would therefore be eligible for donations towards their political activities as a Member of the European Parliament.”

Meanwhile, Ms Turley said in her letter: “I am writing to ask you to open an investigation into whether the law has been broken in relation to certain political donations made to a regulated donor, which have been reported in the media but appear not to have been reported to the Electoral Commission and may not have been from a permitted donor.

“In the case of the alleged ongoing donations of free accommodation made in 2023 and 2024, the donations in question were made from his partner George Cottrell to Nigel Farage, now Leader of Reform UK, but then honorary chairman and majority owner. Sunday Times On July 4, 2026. “I have set out the issues raised and possible breaches of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (PPERA).”

He drew attention to the allegations Sunday Times The lawsuit alleges Mr Cottrell paid a member of staff, as well as a personal assistant, to support Mr Farage with social media output used for political and personal promotion in the year ahead of the 2024 general election.

He added: “Also, Sunday Times It reports that Mr. Cottrell provided security to Mr. Farage: Cottrell also provided security to Farage, consisting primarily of elite veterans and drivers. It did not specify how much it spent on staff or when payments began. He added: “Our client did not have time to check their records but the last payment was made in the first quarter of 2024.”

He also asked the watchdog to look at Mr Farage’s registered donor status, as he was Reform UK’s largest shareholder and honorary chairman at the time.

Reform denied the allegations and Mr Farage insisted he had done and declared everything “appropriately”.

A Reform spokesman said: Independent: “Nigel Farage didn’t hold a political position until he stood for parliament. Having shares and an honorary title doesn’t get him there. That’s all checked.”

Meanwhile, Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch told a press conference it was “not for me to judge” whether Mr Farage had broken the rules.

But he warned that he and his supporters would not make threats against the press for reporting the scandals.

He said: “What we’re seeing now is the kind of chaos we’ll see under a Farage government. I’m working very, very hard to make sure it’s not a reform government.”

“What surprised me most was what he said on Sky News where he was asked questions and then talked about Levison, thus implying press regulation.

“Despite all the criticism, attacks and even harassment I have received from the press, I have never recommended that we restrict our free press. I am very concerned about a Reform government using government power to control the press.”