Key facts
- Nigel Farage received undeclared gifts and payments from George Cottrell.
- George Cottrell has faced criminal charges related to an offshore crypto gambling platform.
- The Times reported that Cottrell funded Farage's operations in the year prior to his election.
- Reform Party claims the donations were made when Farage was not active in politics and no parliamentary rules were breached.
Nigel Farage is facing renewed scrutiny following a report from The Times alleging he received undeclared gifts and payments from George Cottrell. Cottrell has reportedly been criminally charged for his involvement with an offshore crypto gambling platform implicated in illegal betting.
The investigation suggests that Cottrell funded Farage's operations in the year leading up to his successful election as the MP for Clacton, in addition to a previous £5 million gift from Thai crypto billionaire Christopher Harbone.
According to the report, these undeclared sweeteners included the provision of staff, transport, and accommodation, as well as security costs. This has led to accusations that Farage may have broken parliamentary rules, potentially for a second time.
Reform Party has issued a statement defending Farage, arguing that the undeclared donations were made during a period when he was not active in politics. The party accused The Times of cynically using the story to promote their podcast and asserted that no parliamentary rules have been broken.
However, opposition MPs, including Labour's Wes Streeting and Lucy Powell, have criticized Farage, with Powell demanding further investigation. Conservative MP Alicia Kearns has directly accused Farage of being a 'grifter', dismissing the Reform Party's defense.