Key facts
- Cambridge University is investigating associate professor James Orr.
- Orr is also a top aide for the UK political party Reform UK.
- He was filmed appearing to arrange for foreign funding of political polling.
- This alleged action contravenes British electoral laws on foreign political donations.
- Orr and another Reform UK aide, Dan Jukes, have been suspended by the party.
- Orr has denied wrongdoing, calling the investigation politically motivated.
Cambridge University is investigating the conduct of James Orr, an associate professor and a senior aide to the UK political party Reform UK, following allegations that he attempted to circumvent electoral laws concerning foreign political donations. Orr, who heads policy for Reform UK, was filmed by investigative journalists from Verbatim, founded by the Centre for Climate Reporting, appearing to arrange for a US company to secretly fund political polling for the party.
Footage aired by Channel 4 News showed Orr discussing the arrangement, suggesting it be paid for by a US firm belonging to a supposed father of a fake supporter. In a separate clip, Orr indicated that Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, was unaware of the funding plan. Orr has since posted a video denying any wrongdoing, stating that the arrangement could not constitute a benefit or donation in kind and characterizing the investigation as politically motivated.
Despite Orr's defense, he and another senior aide, Dan Jukes, have been suspended by Reform UK pending an internal party investigation. Nigel Farage commented that the individuals involved were not part of the fundraising team and should have followed appropriate channels, suggesting that checks would have prevented them from meeting with him under such circumstances. Orr is an associate professor of religion at Cambridge's divinity faculty and is known for his influence within Reform UK, with connections to the US MAGA movement.