Two senior Reform UK aides have stepped down pending an internal investigation after an undercover report alleged that the party discussed ways of handling foreign donations in breach of electoral law.
James Orr, the party’s former head of policy, and Dan Jukes, regarded as one of Nigel Farage’s closest advisers, left their roles after Channel 4 broadcast the investigation on Thursday evening.
Reform said the inquiry would be conducted independently and without prejudice. “No further comment will be made while the investigation is ongoing,” a party spokesperson said.
The programme, produced by an undercover team from Verbatim, followed a journalist posing as the British-educated son of a wealthy American businessman from Wyoming who wanted to support Reform.
Secretly filmed footage appeared to show the aides discussing the funding of political polling. Channel 4 said £32,500 was donated for the work, with some of the resulting polls later appearing in favourable newspaper coverage of Reform’s prospects.
In one exchange, Mr Jukes was heard saying the money had made a “huge impact” for the party while not “showing up anywhere in public records”. The investigation also included a discussion about securing a separate £500,000 foreign donation, although Channel 4 said that money was never transferred.
Mr Farage appeared in a filmed lunch with Mr Jukes and the undercover journalist, who was accompanied by an actor posing as his father. The Reform leader appeared to be aware that the businessman was funding the polling and did not object when a possible route for the larger donation was proposed.
Mr Farage rejected any suggestion that Reform had broken the law. Speaking to LBC on Friday, he said: “The party has not taken any dodgy money or anything like that whatsoever.” He described the investigation as “a clear case of entrapment” and said contractors had made comments that “perhaps should not have been said”.
Mr Jukes also denied wrongdoing, describing the report as “entrapment over a prolonged period of nearly a year by foreign-funded climate change activists”. He said he had stepped back from politics to clear his name.
Mr Orr said an independent person had paid an independent pollster and that “no money reached Reform UK at all — no donation reached Reform UK at all — whether it was in cash or in kind”. He said he would co-operate fully with the party’s investigation.
Channel 4 has stood by the programme, saying the investigation had been “rigorously verified to ensure accuracy”. The allegations have emerged as Reform’s annual conference got under way, increasing pressure on Mr Farage and placing renewed focus on the party’s finances.
Labour and the Liberal Democrats have referred the allegations to the Metropolitan Police. The force said it was aware of reports involving political party donations and alleged breaches of the law relating to polling, but had not opened an investigation.
Police said they would assess the matter and any information provided. The Electoral Commission confirmed that it was in contact with the force.
Under current rules, political parties must report permissible donations worth more than £11,180 and all impermissible donations above £500. The commission said any alleged attempt to evade those controls was a matter for the police to consider.
