Farage faces parliamentary probe over undisclosed gifts and payments
UK politician Nigel Farage is under investigation for alleged breaches of parliamentary rules after reports that he failed to disclose gifts and payments from a crypto financier, while his Reform UK party struggles to convert recent local election gains into parliamentary seats.
Nigel Farage, leader of the Reform UK party and a member of Parliament since 2024, is being investigated by the Commons standards watchdog after media reports said he did not disclose gifts and payments from crypto financier George Cottrell. The Sunday Times alleged that Cottrell, who was convicted in the United States on money-laundering and fraud charges, provided Farage with a London townhouse, funded staff to manage his social media, and paid for security before he became an MP.
The investigation follows earlier reporting that Farage received a £5 million donation from crypto entrepreneur Christopher Harborne shortly before announcing his candidacy for the 2024 general election. Public records show Farage has declared more than £2 million in earnings outside his parliamentary salary, the second-highest amount among current MPs.
Reform UK Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick told the BBC that no rules were broken, describing the support as “purely personal” and therefore not subject to disclosure requirements. A Farage spokesperson called the allegations “baseless and contrived.”
If the standards committee finds Farage in breach of the rules, he could face suspension from the House, which might trigger a by-election. Meanwhile, Reform UK’s recent local-election successes have not yet translated into additional seats in Parliament, and the party has lost two by-elections this year to the Green Party and Labour.