Reform UK has suspended two senior officials after undercover footage appeared to show them discussing ways of accepting foreign funding in a potential breach of electoral law.
Dan Jukes, a senior adviser to Nigel Farage, and James Orr, the party’s head of policy, have stepped down from their respective positions while Reform conducts an internal investigation.
The decision followed a Channel 4 News investigation in which the pair were filmed speaking to an undercover reporter posing as a potential Reform supporter with a wealthy American father.
In one exchange, Mr Jukes appeared to discuss a possible route for the fictitious father to make a donation of £500,000 through his UK-based son. The proposed arrangement could be unlawful if the money originated from an impermissible overseas donor.
The investigation also alleged that an American company paid about £32,500 for three opinion polls commissioned by Reform. The polling was presented publicly as independent and was not attributed to the party, despite reports suggesting it benefited Reform ahead of the local elections in May.
Reform has denied wrongdoing and described the investigation as a “hoax” involving foreign-funded climate activists posing as prospective donors. Mr Farage has said the party had “done nothing wrong”, while Mr Orr claimed that no money had reached Reform UK.
An Electoral Commission spokesperson said the watchdog was considering all relevant information and was in contact with the Metropolitan Police. The commission also rejected claims that it had approved Reform’s donor-vetting process, saying parties were responsible for ensuring their own controls complied with electoral law.
Under the rules, political parties must report permissible donations worth more than £11,180 and all impermissible donations above £500. The Electoral Commission said any attempt to evade those controls was a matter for the police.
Reform said the investigation into Mr Jukes and Mr Orr must be allowed to proceed independently and without prejudice, adding that it would make no further comment while the process was under way.
