Police investigate donations to Reform from Richard Tice company

Police are investigating donations made to Reform UK by a company controlled by the party’s deputy leader, Richard Tice.

Fundraiser Britain Means Business has reportedly made two donations totaling £250,000 ahead of the 2024 general election.

Mr Tice said the money was paid to his company by Reform donor Fiona Cottrell; this is Fiona Cottrell, a major donor to Reform UK and the mother of a convicted fraudster with close links to Nigel Farage.

He is said to have given £1 million to Britain Means Business in June 2024, half of which was given to Reform.

As first reported by the BBC, the Metropolitan Police is currently examining transactions involving Mr Tice’s company and said two people have so far been questioned under caution.

Mr Tice said: “The BBC article is the first I have heard of this – if true why are the Met Police briefing the BBC before engaging with relevant parties? Is the Met leadership now engaged in a widespread politically motivated smear campaign against Reform and its leaders?”

“Please note that the National Crime Agency is now obliged to investigate its own potential criminal offenses against Reform leaders,” he added.

Times Following Ms Cottrell’s donations, Reform’s bank account was frozen during the last election.

All four payments were made in the weeks before the July 2024 general election, when Mr Farage and Mr Tice were first elected to Parliament.

Ms Cottrell’s first donation of £250,000 appeared in the party’s accounts on 9 May, and her second payment of £250,000 appeared in the party’s accounts on 29 May. Britain Means Business donated £250,000 on 10 June and 12 June.

A spokesperson for Reform UK said: “Reform prides itself on the strict scrutiny of donations and, as with donations to date, always ensures that the Electoral Commission’s guidelines on donations are strictly followed as set out in the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.”

A Met Police spokesman said: “An investigation was launched in February 2025 following a referral to the Metropolitan Police by the Electoral Commission regarding donations made to a political party ahead of the 2024 UK general election.

“Detectives from the Met’s Special Investigation Team are investigating alleged offenses under Section 61 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.

“Early investigation advice was received from the Crown Prosecution Service and two people have been interviewed discreetly so far. No arrests have been made.

“An offense under this section is not an offense that the Electoral Commission can investigate and therefore this is a matter for the police.”

Asked earlier where Ms Cottrell got the money, Mr Tice said: “I know the Cottrell family, my family has known the Cottrell family and more broadly the Hesketh family for 50 years.

“It’s a very successful aristocratic family and, in my opinion, he’s a permissible donor and that’s the end of it.”

Ms Cottrell is said to have no history as a political donor.

A Labor spokesman said: “Allegations of sleaze and donations scandals in the name of reform continue to pile up.

“Richard Tice cannot dismiss these disturbing developments as a ‘smear campaign’. Police are currently investigating half a million pounds in donations to his party and Reform’s bank account has been frozen following suspicious suspicious activity. This is extremely serious.”

“From Nigel Farage’s £5 million secret ‘gift’ from a crypto billionaire, to alleged secret donations from a convicted fraudster, to Tice’s company avoiding £600,000 in corporation tax and now further police investigations into Reform’s finances, it’s clear Reform thinks rules are for other people.”

The reform has been stalled in recent weeks by questions over its financing.

Mr Farage announced he would step down as MP for Clacton to stand in the upcoming by-election after questions grew about a separate £5 million gift he received from crypto billionaire and Reform donor Christopher Harborne.

The party leader declared the by-election, which will likely take place on August 13, as a contest “against the people and the order”.