Farage says he “wasn’t listening” to undercover talks about foreign donor money

Nigel Farage says he “frankly wasn't even listening” when two senior Reform figures discussed how an American donor might provide £500,000 to the party through the donor’s UK-based son.

The conversation appeared in an undercover film by Verbatim Investigations and Channel 4 News. It suggested that the money could be routed through a UK-based family office. Under UK electoral law, political donors must qualify as UK registered voters or companies registered in the country, meaning foreign money cannot simply be given through a British resident.

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Frankly wasn't even listening.

The proposed donation never took place because the conversation formed part of an undercover sting. But the fact that the arrangement appeared to be entertained has triggered questions about Reform’s fundraising checks. Dan Jukes, Farage’s former chief of staff, and James Orr, the former head of policy, have both stepped down. Jukes denies wrongdoing, while Orr told Sky News he would fully cooperate with the party’s internal investigation.

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I am not a compliance officer.

Farage told the BBC that he had been canvassing during the Clacton by-election and did not regard himself as responsible for compliance checks. He said he had been told the donor’s money could have come from Singapore or elsewhere and insisted he understood electoral and donation law. He also said the two men had never handled fundraising before and should have carried out basic checks before bringing anything to him.

Labour and the Liberal Democrats have called on the Metropolitan Police to investigate, and the force is assessing whether to open an inquiry. Farage categorically denied that Reform had accepted money from a foreign entity through a UK donor. He also told the BBC that, for the first time, his family were “begging” him to leave his job as pressure mounted on the party.

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For the first time, my family are begging me to leave my job.