Police investigate payments to Reform UK first revealed by the Guardian | Nigel Farage
Payments to Reform UK, first revealed by the Guardian, are currently being investigated by the Metropolitan police.
The investigation examines payments made to the party through a company controlled by the party’s deputy chairman, Richard Tice.
Scotland Yard is assessing two £250,000 donations made to the party by Britain Means Business in the weeks before the 2024 general election.
The Guardian reported earlier this month that Fiona Cottrell had made a £1 million transfer to Britain Means Business shortly before the donations were made. About half of the funds were later transferred to the party.
Cottrell’s son George is a convicted fraudster with close ties to Reform leader Nigel Farage.
The Guardian reported earlier this month that Fiona and George Cottrell were being interrogated as part of a criminal investigation as part of a police investigation.
In response to the BBC’s question about the investigation, Tice said: “This is the first I’ve heard of this; if true, why are the Met police briefing the BBC before contacting relevant parties?”
“Is the Met leadership currently engaged in a widespread politically motivated smear campaign against Reform and its leaders?”
Fiona Cottrell also made two donations worth £250,000 each directly to the party in May 2024. They are also under investigation by the Metropolitan police.
Tice, who was elected to parliament following the election, is the sole director of Britain Means Business.
He previously confirmed his company had received donations from Fiona Cottrell but described reports about the money as a “politically motivated smear campaign”.
The Guardian told how the transfer from Fiona Cottrell to Britain was reported to the National Crime Agency by bankers via a suspicious activity report.
Suspicious activity reports are not crime reports, but they exist to detect potential money laundering incidents.
The Guardian understands that neither the NCA nor bankers have been able to trace the source of the original £1 million Fiona Cottrell sent to Tice’s company. NCA is seeking help from a foreign partner to understand where the money is coming from.
A spokesman for Reform UK said: “Reform prides itself on the strict scrutiny of donations and, as with donations made to date, always ensures that the Electoral Commission’s guidelines on donations as set out in the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 are strictly adhered to.”
Fiona Cottrell did not respond to attempts by the Guardian to contact her about donations to Britain Means Business.
When asked by the BBC about the developments on Saturday evening, the Metropolitan Police repeated the statement it made earlier this month.
“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,” police said.
“Detectives from the Met’s special investigations 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.”
