Reform UK says internal probe found no electoral law breach over foreign donations sting

Reform UK has conducted its own 27-page report into the donations scandal (Picture: Reuters) Reform UK has concluded that it did not break electoral law after senior figures were secretly filmed discussing how foreign donations could be handled. The party launched its own investigation following a Channel 4 News report which showed senior figures discussing a potential £500,000 donation from an alleged foreign donor. Its 27-page report found no evidence that laws had been broken, but admitted that two senior figures had said things that were ‘wrong, careless and in one instance untrue’. The investigation also concluded that the £500,000 donation discussed in the footage never took place. It found that polling discussed by undercover reporters had been commissioned by Dan Jukes, a consultant working with several clients, rather than on behalf of Reform. Sign up for all of the latest stories Start your day informed with Metro's News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens. However, the report strongly criticised the way Jukes and the party’s head of policy, James Orr, spoke about the proposed donation and polling arrangements. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Up Next Previous Page Next Page A Channel 4 News report showed senior figures discussing a potential £500,000 donation from an alleged foreign donor (Picture: Ben Birchall/PA Wire) Orr was criticised for suggesting nobody would discover impermissible donations and for making ‘extremely condescending’ comments about the Electoral Commission. Jukes was also criticised for describing polling arrangements as ‘clandestine’ and ‘off the books’, which the investigation said made a lawful arrangement appear suspicious. Both men were suspended after the Channel 4 report, while the Metropolitan Police is separately investigating the allegations. Reform said the investigation had exposed weaknesses in its procedures and recommended tighter checks on potential donors and greater transparency from contractors. A Reform spokesperson also accused the production company behind the investigation, Verbatim Investigations, of acting unlawfully and said the party would consider legal action. Channel 4 said it ‘stands by its journalism’, adding that the investigation had undergone extensive editorial and legal scrutiny before broadcast. Labour chairwoman Bridget Phillipson branded the Reform report a ‘whitewash’ and said it did not clear the party or leader Nigel Farage of the allegations. The police investigation into the allegations remains ongoing. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source

Reform UK has been accused of producing a 'whitewash' internal investigation into allegations senior party figures tried to disguise foreign donations

Reform Party Leader Nigel Farage points as he speaks during the Reform party's annual conference at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, England, Friday, Sept. 4, 2026.A Reform UK probe into claims the party tried to solicit illegal foreign donations has been branded a “whitewash” after it cleared its own officials of any wrongdoing.An undercover report from Verbatim and Channel 4 claimed Nigel Farage’s close aide Dan Jukes and head of policy James Orr had discussed accepting £500,000 from a foreign donor in the summer.The documentary, released during Reform’s annual conference last month, also claimed the party had taken funding from a US company to commission three supposedly independent polls.UK parties are not permitted to accept gifts from a foreign donor under British electoral law.Jukes and Orr then stepped down from their positions and were suspended from the party, though Farage dismissed the scandal as “loose pub talk”.Metropolitan Police widened their existing investigation into Reform’s finances after the documentary aired, while the British Polling Council is also looking into the allegations.However, Reform announced on Wednesday that its own internal investigation had found Jukes and Orr were not guilty of any wrongdoing.The document said while the ex-officials said things “that were wrong, careless and in one instance untrue”, it claimed “neither did anything that constitutes a breach of law”.Labour chair Bridget Phillipson slammed Reform’s internal probe as a “whitewash”.“You can find more whitewash in this report than at your local B&Q,” she said.“Nothing in it exonerates Reform or Nigel Farage from the serious allegations that they still face. They can’t run from the truth forever.“Nigel Farage and Reform are not above the rules. It’s time they took responsibility for their actions, got their house in order and proved to the public they’re not just in it for themselves.“The scandals and multiple police investigations aren’t going away. It’s time to stop the desperate deflection and cover ups, Nigel – it’s time the public knew the truth.”A Conservative spokesperson said: “Reform will be delighted that Reform have cleared the Reform employees caught red-handed soliciting dodgy donations. Let’s see what the police say.”Reform intends to sue the reporters behind the sting which prompted a police investigation and overshadowed its annual conference, claiming the documentary offered a “distorted version of events”.The police are still investigating, and it’s understood the party will not decide Jukes and Orr’s futures until that has concluded.A spokesperson for Verbatim said: “We note that this report is an internal one authored by Reform’s own barrister and general secretary, and that a police investigation remains ongoing. We are confident in our journalism, which speaks for itself.”A Channel 4 News spokesperson said the broadcaster “stands by its journalism”, adding: “The investigation underwent extensive editorial and external legal scrutiny prior to broadcast.”Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.Related...Reform Probe Clears Own Officials Of Wrongdoing Over Donations StingJack-The-Lad-Dery': Farage Plays Down Donations Row, Insisting It Stems From 'Loose Pub Talk'Kemi Badenoch Launches Blistering Attack On Reform Amid 'Englishness' Row

Party threatens legal action against investigative journalists after report, which is criticised by Labour

The party launched an internal probe after a Channel 4 News report on its funding.

Internal inquiry clears Dan Jukes and James Orr, who were filmed talking about scheme involving US donorReform UK has cleared two senior officials of breaking laws that ban foreign donations, despite the matter remaining under police investigation.The party published a 27-page report of an internal inquiry by its legal secretary and general secretary, finding that Dan Jukes, Nigel Farage’s press adviser, and James Orr, its head of policy, had not breached funding rules. Continue reading...

Officials were recorded by undercover journalists discussing a potential way to secure foreign donations to the party.

The party launched an internal probe after a Channel 4 News report on its funding.

Britain's Reform UK leader Nigel Farage leaves Milbank Tower after he said he'll quit his Parliament seat and seek reelection in London, Tuesday, July 7, 2026.(AP Photo/Thomas Krych)An internal investigation from Reform UK has cleared its own staff of any wrongdoing over a donations sting.Nigel Farage’s party commissioned a 27-page report into two senior officials after an explosive documentary from Channel 4 and Verbatim Investigation revealed they had discussed a £500,000 gift from a foreign donor.The undercover reporters also claimed the party had taken funding from a US company to commission three supposedly independent polls at £32,500 earlier this year.Foreign companies are not to allowed to fund UK parties, according to British electoral law, and the claims remain under police investigation.The British Polling Council is also looking into the allegations.Farage’s former aide Dan Jukes and the party’s previous head of policy James Orr were suspended in the middle of Reform’s annual conference last month following the undercover probe.But Reform’s own internal inquiry, carried out by Reform’s legal secretary Adam Richardson and the party’s general secretary Tom Waterhouse, has now cleared both of Jukes and Orr of any wrongdoing.The document said there is “no evidence” they “knowingly entered into or acted in furtherance of an arrangement to facilitate an impermissible donation”.The report said: “Nothing was agreed, no donations were made and no formal position was presented to the party’s finance team, and nothing was accepted.“The party’s procedures for checking the identity of a donor and the source of funds were never engaged, because nothing reached them.”“Neither did anything that constitutes a breach of law,” according to the internal investigation.It added: “People speaking for the party said things that were wrong, careless and in one instance untrue, and that they said them because they had stopped attending to the difference between what the law permitted and what merely felt discreet.”Farage was dismissive over the undercover probe earlier this month, comparing the discussions of a £500,000 gift from a foreign donor to “pub talk”.The party said: “Following the allegations raised by Verbatim Investigations and Channel 4 on Sept 3rd, Reform UK commissioned a comprehensive internal investigation.“The investigation examined all relevant evidence, including witness interviews, documentary records and electronic communications.“Having concluded the review, the investigation found no evidence that any laws were broken.“Reform UK takes its obligations on governance and conduct extremely seriously.“We consider that the production company – Verbatim – acted unlawfully and will be taking the appropriate legal action in due course.”The report accused the Channel 4 documentary of presenting a “distorted version of events”.Reform intends to sue the reporters behind the sting which prompted a police investigation and overshadowed its annual conference.HuffPost UK understands Reform UK will wait until the police investigation into the sting has concluded before deciding the futures of Jukes and Orr.Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.Related...'Trying To Out-Reform Reform!' Senior Tory Accused Of Peddling Right-Wing Conspiracy TheoriesReform UK's Nadhim Zahawi Insists You Don't Have To Be White To Be EnglishReform UK Slump Continues As Labour Hit Near Two-Year Opinion Poll High

Reform UK's internal inquiry following an undercover sting has cleared two of its senior advisors of wrongdoing, the party says.

Reform UK's internal inquiry following an undercover sting has cleared two of its senior advisers of breaching the law, the party says.