Reform UK donations probe widened by police

British police said they have widened a criminal investigation into allegations that Nigel Farage's Reform UK party accepted illegal donations after new claims aired last week.

London's Metropolitan Police said on Wednesday that allegations shown in undercover footage by Channel 4 News would now be examined as part of an investigation already opened into financial gifts made to Reform before the 2024 general election.

The Channel 4 footage showed Reform figures discussing steps to secure a foreign donation, which is banned under UK electoral law. The broadcast prompted policy head James Orr and Farage aide Dan Jukes to resign.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said detectives had assessed the information and found “potential offences requiring investigation” related to possible electoral-law violations. The spokesperson said no arrests had been made and no one had been interviewed under caution in relation to the latest allegations.

Reform UK denied wrongdoing and said it would cooperate with the investigation.

British law says donations to a UK political party must come from UK-registered voters or from a company registered in the UK.

The Metropolitan Police launched the investigation in February 2025 after a referral from the Electoral Commission, which oversees elections in Britain. Parliament's corruption watchdog is also investigating a £5 million gift from British cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne to Farage, who says the money was for his security.