Key facts
- JL Partners conducted polls for Reform UK without disclosing funding from undercover reporters.
- Former employees and clients claim JL Partners has a history of not declaring poll funders.
- The British Polling Council stated there have been breaches of its rules.
- JL Partners acknowledged "weaknesses in our procedures" following a report.
- Other polling firms, including Opinium and Savanta, have also faced scrutiny over undeclared clients or administrative oversights.
- Transparency campaigners are calling for tougher standards and investigations into the polling industry.
The British polling industry is facing intense scrutiny following revelations that the influential firm JL Partners failed to disclose funding sources for high-impact polls conducted for the Reform UK party. The scandal, which prompted the resignation of two senior Reform UK aides, involved undercover reporters posing as wealthy benefactors to pay for polls released without transparent attribution.
Former employees and clients of JL Partners have told POLITICO that this is not an isolated incident, alleging similar lapses in funder declarations have occurred at the company and other well-known British polling firms. The British Polling Council, the industry's watchdog, has confirmed breaches of its rules and is seeking further information from the member concerned. JL Partners acknowledged "weaknesses in our procedures" in response to the report.
JL Partners, founded by James Johnson, a former adviser to ex-Prime Minister Theresa May, has conducted polls during Conservative leadership elections in 2022 and 2024 that received media coverage without disclosing their commissioning source. While there is no suggestion the findings were manipulated, allies of candidates like Rishi Sunak and Tom Tugendhat were reportedly involved in arranging undisclosed polls that produced positive findings.
Other instances of undeclared clients have emerged, including JL Partners director Johnson writing an op-ed citing a poll paid for by the Christian lobbying group CARE without disclosure. Opinium and Savanta, other polling firms, also faced questions regarding administrative oversights in labeling or uploading polling data. Transparency campaigners are urging for stricter standards and a broader investigation into the industry's practices.