Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has claimed he "wasn't even listening" during a meeting at the centre of a controversy over whether his party considered evading laws on accepting overseas donations. He also stated he knew donation law "better than anybody" during interviews on the final day of his party conference.
Farage was compelled to suspend close aide Dan Jukes and Reform's head of policy, James Orr, on Friday. They were reportedly filmed in an undercover investigation appearing to plot to circumvent electoral laws on foreign donations. The investigation involved reporters posing as a potential Reform supporter and his wealthy American father, an impermissible donor, who paid for £30,000 of polling.
Farage himself faces pressure over a separate clip where he reportedly said "it's all above board" after a reporter, posing as the UK-based son of a wealthy US backer, told him of discussions with Jukes and Orr. Farage told the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg that he was told the money was being given via a UK family office and that he was in the middle of canvassing at the time.
The Metropolitan Police are now assessing evidence following a complaint that Farage, Orr, and Jukes may have broken political funding laws. All three deny wrongdoing.
Reform UK's conference in Birmingham concluded on Saturday, with the party hoping to shift focus to policy announcements, including proposed tax cuts. Robert Jenrick, the party's Treasury spokesperson, pledged to increase the tax-free personal allowance to £15,000 within the first 100 days if Reform were to take office.
West Midlands police have also appealed for a woman, among climate activists removed from the conference hall on Friday, to come forward after footage emerged of her allegedly being assaulted.