Politics
Met Police open criminal investigation into Reform UK over alleged foreign donations
September 10, 2026 at 08:04 AM
Coverage
3 reports · over 10 hours
BNBBC News
Newspaper headlines: 'Farage faces Met inquiry' and 'Ready for departure?'
(opens the publisher’s site)
TGThe Guardian
Met police launch inquiry into alleged overseas donations to Reform UK
(opens the publisher’s site)
BNBBC News
Police launch criminal investigation into Reform UK donations
(opens the publisher’s site)The Metropolitan Police has launched a criminal investigation into Reform UK over alleged breaches of foreign funding law, following an undercover Channel 4 News broadcast.
- The Metropolitan Police announced an investigation into potential offences under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, folded into an existing Special Enquiry Team probe into donations to the party.
- The investigation covers Channel 4/Verbatim footage in which aides Dan Jukes and James Orr suggested ways around electoral law, and a fake US donor's £30,000 polling payment benefiting Reform.
- Jukes and Orr resigned after the broadcast; both denied wrongdoing, while Reform UK said it "denies any wrongdoing and will fully cooperate with the investigation."
- The existing inquiry examines £500,000 in donations from Fiona Cottrell and payments from a company controlled by deputy leader Richard Tice; the Electoral Commission said it is considering regulatory steps.