Met Police to Investigate Alleged Foreign Donations to Reform UK
London's Metropolitan Police has confirmed it will investigate claims that Reform UK breached electoral law over overseas donations, folding the case into an existing inquiry into the party's donations.
The Metropolitan Police has said it will examine new allegations against Reform UK as part of a broader investigation already underway, this time concerning possible breaches of electoral law linked to donations from abroad.
The inquiry follows a Channel 4 broadcast built on undercover work by journalists from the outlet Verbatim, who posed as a foreign donor interested in funding Reform UK.
After the footage aired, two close advisers to party leader Nigel Farage — Dan Jukes and James Orr — stepped down from their roles. The recordings reportedly showed the pair discussing methods to circumvent electoral law with the undercover reporter posing as a donor.
Police response
A Met spokesperson said that following the Channel 4 News broadcast on 3 September, the force received a number of reports concerning donations and polling connected to a political party. Detectives reviewed the material and concluded there are potential offences warranting further investigation.
The force noted that these potential offences resemble matters already being examined by its special enquiry team in relation to donations made to the same party, meaning the new claims will be absorbed into that existing investigation rather than opened as a separate case.
Detectives are now working to obtain the relevant footage from the broadcast and are coordinating with the Electoral Commission and the Crown Prosecution Service as the inquiry moves forward.
