Reform UK permanently suspended Dan Jukes and James Orr after undercover footage showed them discussing how foreign donations could be disguised. Nigel Farage conceded that the row looked bad but denied the party had accepted foreign money unlawfully. London police are assessing evidence submitted in a complaint; those named deny wrongdoing. The party said a lawyer found no electoral-law breach after reviewing the material over the past 48 hours and promised an internal inquiry.
Reform UK permanently suspended two officials filmed discussing how foreign donations could be disguised. Dan Jukes was a long-serving aide to Nigel Farage, while James Orr headed the party's policy operation. Both had initially stood down after the footage was published while awaiting an internal investigation. The Verbatim team behind the footage had posed as an American donor and his son.[1], [2]
London's Metropolitan Police are assessing evidence submitted in a complaint alleging that Farage and his aides broke political-funding rules. Police could add the material to an existing investigation into whether donations from impermissible sources were channelled through an intermediary. The party and donors deny that allegation, and those named deny wrongdoing. Police have not announced that a new investigation has been opened.[1]
Farage told the BBC that the row looked bad but denied that Reform UK had taken foreign money in breach of electoral law. The party's economy spokesman, Robert Jenrick, said a KC had reviewed the evidence over the past 48 hours and advised that no law had been broken. Jenrick nevertheless promised an internal inquiry and lessons from the episode. Those are the party's positions; the police assessment continues.[1], [2]
