Key facts
- Nigel Farage stated he "wasn’t even listening" during a meeting where aides allegedly discussed evading UK electoral donation laws.
- Two Reform UK aides, Dan Jukes and James Orr, were suspended following an undercover investigation.
- The investigation involved reporters posing as donors attempting to circumvent foreign donation rules.
- Farage asserted his knowledge of donation law and claimed the money was to be channeled through a UK family office.
- Reform UK's Treasury spokesperson, Robert Jenrick, pledged tax cuts and downplayed the donation controversy.
- The Metropolitan Police are assessing evidence related to potential breaches of political funding laws.
Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, has stated he "wasn’t even listening" during a meeting where two of his aides allegedly discussed methods to circumvent electoral donation laws. The party's conference was significantly overshadowed by the controversy, which led to the suspension of close aide Dan Jukes and head of policy James Orr.
Undercover reporters from Verbatim Investigations posed as a potential supporter and his wealthy American father, an impermissible donor, who funded £30,000 of polling for Reform. Farage claimed he was informed the money would be channeled through a UK family office and asserted his extensive knowledge of donation law, stating he knows it "better than anybody." He told the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg that he was not a compliance officer and was busy canvassing during the Clacton byelection when the discussions occurred.
Despite the controversy, Reform UK's Treasury spokesperson, Robert Jenrick, delivered a keynote speech pledging to increase the tax-free personal allowance to £15,000 within 100 days if the party takes office. Jenrick also attempted to deflect from the donation scandal, stating it had been dealt with and the language used by the suspended individuals was inappropriate.
Farage accused "the establishment" of attempting to derail his party. The Metropolitan Police are now assessing evidence following a complaint that Farage, Orr, and Jukes may have breached political funding laws, though they deny wrongdoing. The conference also saw an incident where a climate activist was removed from the hall, with police investigating alleged assault.
Suella Braverman, the party's education spokesperson, announced plans to cut student loans by 20%, restricting them to courses with demonstrable economic returns. Farage concluded the conference by acknowledging the party's resilience in the face of challenges.