Key facts
- Reform UK's Business Day conference aimed to attract industry leaders.
- Economic spokesman Robert Jenrick teased deregulation for financial services.
- An investigation by Channel 4 News alleged improper foreign donations and misconduct by senior officials.
- Two top officials, James Orr and Dan Jukes, were suspended following the investigation.
- Nigel Farage downplayed the allegations, calling them 'loose pub talk'.
Reform UK's inaugural Business Day conference in Birmingham aimed to win over industry leaders, with economic spokesman Robert Jenrick discussing deregulation and tax policies for the financial sector. Jenrick teased announcements on capital requirements and ring-fencing, and a potential rewrite of the party's 'Britannia Card' for foreign investors. However, the event was significantly overshadowed by a Channel 4 News investigation alleging that senior party officials, including policy guru Dr James Orr and aide Dan Jukes, appeared to arrange a foreign donation through a middleman. Orr and Jukes were subsequently suspended pending an investigation, with party chairman Lee Anderson stating they would not return to top positions. Nigel Farage dismissed the allegations as 'loose pub talk'.
Despite these controversies, Jenrick plans a pre-Budget 'roadshow' to promote Reform's fiscal plans. The party maintains it remains top in opinion polls, even amidst scrutiny over its finances. However, the investigation has exposed internal contradictions and raised questions about the party's professionalism and readiness for government, with some business figures expressing caution.