Nigel Farage has admitted holding talks about potentially returning as Reform UK’s leader months before the 2024 general election. This admission could undermine his previous account regarding the circumstances of a £5m gift he received from a crypto billionaire.
Reports at the weekend indicated that Farage had reached a deal with then-leader Richard Tice and George Cottrell to return to frontline politics. Farage had previously stated he did not need to declare the £5m from Christopher Harborne or benefits from Cottrell because he was not in politics at the time, and had no intention of returning until June 2024.
At a press conference on Monday, Farage said he had no intention of returning to politics or as Reform leader, but did talk to Richard Tice in spring 2024 about potential liabilities if he were to return to that position. The Sunday Times reported that Farage had negotiated a deal in March and April 2024, which reportedly included Reform agreeing to repay or write off over £1m in loans to Tice��s company.
An inquiry by parliament’s standards watchdog into whether Farage broke rules by accepting and not declaring the £5m has been paused after he triggered a by-election by stepping down as the MP for Clacton.