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🇬🇧 United Kingdom /Elections & Politics

Cambridge University investigates conduct of Reform UK academic suspended over donation claims

From The Guardian · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • Cambridge University is investigating James Orr, an associate professor and suspended Reform UK policy chief, after undercover footage appeared to show him discussing foreign funding for polling.
  • Orr and senior Nigel Farage aide Dan Jukes stepped aside pending an internal party investigation, while both denied wrongdoing.
  • Reform UK leader Nigel Farage distanced himself from the pair, saying they were not part of the party’s fundraising team and should have followed proper procedures.

Cambridge University is examining the conduct of James Orr, an associate professor who also served as a senior Reform UK aide, after undercover footage appeared to show him trying to work around British electoral law on foreign political donations.

The university is looking into these matters.

· University of Cambridge spokespersonCambridge confirmed that it was examining Orr’s conduct.

Orr, the party’s suspended head of policy, was filmed discussing polling that Reform had secretly organized. In the footage, he suggested that a U.S. company belonging to the supposed father of an undercover reporter could pay for the work. In another clip, Orr said Nigel Farage “doesn’t know, won’t know” about the arrangement and that it was something Farage would “rather not know.”

The investigation was conducted by Verbatim, an investigative journalism group founded by the Centre for Climate Reporting, and broadcast by Channel 4 News. Cambridge said in a statement: “The university is looking into these matters.” Orr teaches religion at the university’s divinity faculty.

doesn’t know, won’t know

· James OrrOrr discussed what Farage would know about the proposed polling funding arrangement.

Orr has been an influential intellectual figure within Reform UK and has been described by Politico as the party’s “philosopher king.” His political connections in the U.S. MAGA movement helped attract senior Reform figures. U.S. Vice-President JD Vance has called him his “intellectual mentor” and “British Sherpa.”

rather not know

· James OrrOrr characterized Farage’s possible attitude toward the funding arrangement.

Reform initially called the investigation a “hoax.” Orr later said there was “absolutely no way this could amount to a benefit or donation in kind at all” and described Verbatim as politically motivated. He and Dan Jukes, a senior aide to Farage who also denied wrongdoing, stood down on Friday pending an internal party investigation. Farage said the pair were not part of Reform’s fundraising team and should have gone through the appropriate channels before meeting undercover reporters posing as supporters.

There is absolutely no way this could amount to a benefit or donation in kind at all.

· James OrrOrr denied that the proposed arrangement would violate donation rules.
About this summary

Originally published by The Guardian in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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