Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, has conceded that an undercover investigation into the party's approach to foreign donations "looks bad." However, he denied that Reform UK has ever violated electoral law by accepting overseas funding.
The admission follows a Channel 4 investigation that reportedly filmed senior Reform figures appearing to agree to a donation from a foreign benefactor via a middleman. Farage stated that comments made by his close aide Dan Jukes and head of policy James Orr were "injudicious at best." Both individuals have been suspended from the party, pending an internal investigation.
Farage told the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg show that he "wasn't even listening" during a meeting central to the Channel 4 documentary. He also stated he knew it was illegal for foreign firms to donate to UK political parties.
The Conservative shadow chancellor, Andrew Griffith, has called for a police investigation into Reform UK over the allegations. Labour business secretary Jonathan Reynolds also suggested the matter was for the police, stating that rules on democracy must be adhered to.