Farage to Close Reform Conference as Donations Row Deepens

Nigel Farage is set to close Reform UK’s conference as the party faces a widening dispute over political donations. He defended the party in his main speech the previous day and is expected to make closing remarks in Birmingham.

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loose pub talk

The latest controversy followed Channel 4 footage that appeared to show senior Reform figures discussing how to disguise donations from foreign sources. The footage formed part of an investigation by the undercover group Verbatim, whose investigators posed as an American donor and his son. The pair had paid for polling allegedly commissioned by Reform and were seeking to channel money to the party.

Accepting donations from a foreign company, including donations in kind such as polling, could constitute a criminal offence. The party has been reported to police, while the Liberal Democrats asked Parliament’s standards watchdog to investigate. Dan Jukes, a longtime Farage aide, and James Orr, Reform’s head of policy, stood down pending an internal investigation into their appearance in the footage.

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a couple of boasts that simply were not true

Farage repeatedly denied that the party had broken the law. He dismissed comments attributed to Jukes as “loose pub talk” and said they included “a couple of boasts that simply were not true.” Farage also faces scrutiny over donations received by Reform, including £5 million given to him by a wealthy backer.

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Reform has broken no law.

His speech was delayed by a security alert and interrupted four times by climate protesters. Farage said Reform would not be distracted by what he called a “highly coordinated campaign of attacks,” arguing that the party had become the target of an ecosystem built around Labour and the Conservatives. Deputy leader Richard Tice’s address was also interrupted by a Greenpeace UK banner reading, “Collect £5 million, burn the planet.”

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We are absolutely determined in what we're doing.