UK government cracks down on political donations; Farage faces potential new inquiry
The UK government will announce measures to restrict large political donations on Monday, while Reform UK leader Nigel Farage faces a possible second investigation into gifts from a convicted fraudster.
UK ministers will launch a crackdown on large political donations on Monday, as Nigel Farage faces a possible second investigation into gifts he received from a convicted fraudster before becoming an MP.
The government will announce a series of measures to make political funding more transparent, including restrictions on donations from foreign-based benefactors. The changes will apply a £100,000 donations cap to anyone who moves to the UK from abroad for a year after doing so, to prevent circumventing restrictions by registering to vote. New checks will assess whether companies making political donations are legitimate by measuring profit and revenue. For the first time, political candidates will have to disclose any donation above £2,230, including the period before they became a candidate.
The package comes amid heightened scrutiny of Farage’s finances. The Sunday Times revealed this weekend that the Reform leader accepted previously undisclosed benefits from George Cottrell, who spent time in a US jail for wire fraud, before becoming an MP. These benefits included staff to run his social media team, security, and use of a mansion near Buckingham Palace.
When he became an MP, Farage registered a £9,253 donation from Cottrell for a trip to Belgium in April 2024, and later added a £15,276 donation for a US domestic flight in December 2024. He did not declare other previous benefits from Cottrell, who pleaded guilty to wire fraud in 2016 and is now seeking a pardon from Donald Trump.
Reform acknowledged the gifts on Sunday but said they were personal gifts unconnected with his political activities. However, these claims were challenged after The Times revealed Cottrell gave out business cards with Reform UK branding and Farage’s email address.
The parliamentary standards commissioner Daniel Greenberg is already investigating a £5m donation to Farage from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne. The Liberal Democrats have urged him to also investigate the Cottrell gifts. Former standards committee chair Alistair Graham said Greenberg should investigate both sets of allegations together.
Meanwhile, Labour MPs are pushing for an outright cap on all political donations at £100,000, with Stella Creasy promising to table an amendment to the representation of the people bill.
