Met police launch criminal investigation into Reform UK over foreign donations
Police are investigating allegations that Reform UK broke electoral law on foreign donations after an undercover sting broadcast by Channel 4 News.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
The Metropolitan Police has launched a criminal investigation into allegations that Reform UK broke electoral law on foreign donations, following an undercover sting broadcast by Channel 4 News.
The investigation, announced on Monday, will be folded into an existing Met inquiry into Reform's funding that was opened earlier this year. Detectives said they had assessed information provided after the Channel 4 broadcast and determined that there were "potential offences requiring investigation" under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.
The undercover operation was carried out by Verbatim, an investigative group founded by journalists from the Centre for Climate Reporting. Reporters posed as a wealthy American businessman and his UK-based son, infiltrating the heart of Reform UK for nearly a year.
The footage showed two of Nigel Farage's closest aides, Dan Jukes and James Orr, appearing to discuss ways to get around electoral law. Jukes, Farage's long-time communications chief, was filmed suggesting that a £500,000 donation from an American donor could be funnelled through the donor's UK-based son, a route that would be illegal. He also appeared to claim the party had used similar methods before.
Orr, Reform's head of policy, was filmed discussing how a US company could secretly pay for opinion polls commissioned by the party. Three polls costing more than £32,000 were paid for by the undercover team, and the results appeared in national newspapers without the funding source being disclosed.
Nigel Farage himself was filmed meeting the undercover team in his Clacton constituency in July, thanking them for funding the polls and describing the results as "bang for buck". In one exchange, the fake donors outlined a plan for the American father to send money to his UK-based son, who would then donate to Reform. Farage replied: "Thank you. Both of you, thank you."
Both Jukes and Orr stepped down from their roles the morning after the Channel 4 broadcast. Reform initially dismissed the investigation as a "hoax" by "foreign-funded climate change activists", but then announced an internal investigation and the suspension of the two aides.
Farage has denied any wrongdoing, describing the comments in the footage as "loose pub talk" and "injudicious at best". He told the BBC he was "not a compliance officer" and that he "frankly wasn't even listening" during the lunch with the undercover reporters. He also said his family had urged him to quit politics this summer.
The controversy overshadowed Reform's annual conference in Birmingham, which was meant to be a reset moment for the party. Farage's keynote speech was delayed by a security scare and interrupted by protesters. The party did manage to announce policies including raising the income tax personal allowance to £15,000 and a deal with French National Rally leader Jordan Bardella to return small boats to France.
The Met investigation adds to the pressure on Reform. The party is already facing a separate criminal investigation into donations from Fiona Cottrell, the mother of convicted fraudster George Cottrell, and a parliamentary standards inquiry into a £5 million gift to Farage from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne.
Separately, a Sky News investigation has revealed allegations of infighting and bullying within Reform's flagship Durham council, which the party won in May 2025. Four former councillors have spoken on camera about what they describe as toxic leadership and chaos. Reform dismissed the claims as "misleading and malicious", saying the former councillors had been suspended for bullying and employing illegal workers.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 | BBC News | BBC One | BBC Two | Channel 4 | GB News | ITV | Sky News |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farage said he believed he had broken no rules and done nothing wrong. | · | |||||||
| Nigel Farage suspended two individuals involved after they made incorrect comments. | · | |||||||
| Reform UK launched an internal investigation into Dan Jukes and James Orr. | · | |||||||
| Undercover filming showed discussions about breaking electoral laws, including a suggestion to bypass them to secure foreign money. | · | · | ||||||
| James Orr and Dan Jukes arranged for a US company to fund three opinion polls for Reform UK. | · | · | · | |||||
| The undercover reporter told Mr Farage's aides that a donation could be potentially £500,000. | · | · | · | · | ||||
| Nigel Farage admitted he was not listening during the lunch where the donation plan was discussed. | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| Nigel Farage met the undercover donors and thanked them for funding the polls. | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| The investigation was folded into an existing inquiry into other donations to Reform. | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| The Metropolitan Police have widened their investigation into Reform. | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| The Metropolitan Police received reports and identified potential offences under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 following a Channel 4 News broadcast. | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| The Reform UK conference was overshadowed by an undercover investigation and the resulting allegations. | · | · | · | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
As the originating broadcaster of the investigation, Channel 4 focused on the undercover footage, the legal analysis, and the details of the plot. It provided the most comprehensive coverage of the allegations, including expert legal analysis from former prosecutors and the full arc of the story from the initial broadcast to the Met Police investigation.
- “It was a plot by senior figures in Reform UK to break the law on foreign donations and keep funding secret from the public and the Electoral Commission”
- “The reality is we could easily get away with it.”
ITV focused on the fallout at the Reform conference, the suspension of the two aides, and voter reactions. It also secured an exclusive interview with Nigel Farage in which he discussed the emotional toll on his family and his prediction of more investigations to come.
- “Another day, another funding scandal. Why is reform beset by so many of these? Listen, we're under attack. That's what's going on.”
- “We have not taken an illegal penny in funding. That is important.”
Sky News covered the breaking news of the Met investigation, the conference fallout, and also aired its own investigation into Durham council infighting. It provided analysis of the political implications for Reform and highlighted the party's struggle to professionalise.
- “Two senior Reform UK aides stepped down after an undercover report appears to show them trying to break laws on foreign donations.”
- “The Met police announces It's carrying out a criminal investigation into claims Reform UK breached donation rules”
BBC One West provided comprehensive coverage with Chris Mason's analysis from the conference, focusing on the political damage to Reform and the party's struggle to professionalise. It covered the full arc from the initial allegations to the Met investigation.
- “Two senior officials from Reform UK have stepped down after a Channel 4 news report triggered a party investigation into claims about its funding.”
- “The Metropolitan Police is carrying out a criminal investigation into allegations that Reform UK broke the law in relation to foreign funding.”
Newsnight provided in-depth analysis with panel discussions, interviews with Reform figures, and examination of the political implications. It focused on the chaos at the conference and the broader questions about Reform's fitness to govern, including the party's internal tensions.
- “Reform UK's conference, overshadowed by allegations aired on Channel 4 that the party plotted to break the law over foreign political donations.”
BBC News covered the breaking news of the Met investigation, with analysis from political correspondents and legal experts on the implications for Reform. It also covered the wider context of the party's other investigations.
- “The Metropolitan Police is carrying out a criminal investigation into allegations Reform UK broke the law in relation to foreign funding.”
5 News covered the Met investigation and the conference chaos, with political editor Andy Bell providing analysis. It also showed the protester disruption at Farage's speech and highlighted the multiple investigations facing the party.
- “police launch a criminal investigation into Reform UK.”
GB News was more sympathetic to Reform, focusing on the entrapment angle and giving Robert Jenrick a platform to defend the party. It questioned the methods of the undercover journalists and argued that the polling arrangement was common practice across political parties.
- “Reform UK has been the target of a hoax, perpetuated by foreign-funded climate change activists posing as would-be party donors.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.