Another Reform row as Richard Tice faces parliamentary investigation

Reform UK is facing renewed questions over transparency after deputy leader Richard Tice became the latest senior figure in the party to face scrutiny from Parliament’s standards watchdog.

The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards has opened an investigation into whether Tice failed to declare a relevant interest while speaking during a Westminster Hall debate concerning Israel.

The inquiry, which was opened on 28 July and published on the commissioner’s website on Monday, relates specifically to the parliamentary rules governing the declaration of interests during proceedings.

An investigation by the commissioner does not imply wrongdoing, and no findings have yet been made.

Tice rejected criticism of his conduct, arguing that the complaint originated from what he described as an “anti-Semitic anti-Israel lobby group.”

Writing on X, he said the commissioner was considering whether he should have referred to his registered interests during a debate covering UK democracy and Israeli influence.

He also alleged that the same group had failed to raise concerns about another MP’s declarations, drawing comparisons with Ayoub Khan over the disclosure of donations.

The inquiry comes at a politically sensitive moment for Reform, whose leadership has sought to portray the party as an alternative to what it describes as the established political class.

At the same time, party leader Nigel Farage is facing a separate Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards investigation over a £5m payment received before the 2024 general election from Reform donor and cryptocurrency entrepreneur Christopher Harborne.

Farage has consistently maintained that the payment was an unconditional personal gift intended to fund his security arrangements and therefore did not require declaration under parliamentary rules.

The twin investigations risk creating an uncomfortable backdrop for Reform as it attempts to capitalise on public dissatisfaction with the main parties and present itself as a vehicle for political reform.

While parliamentary standards inquiries are procedural and frequently conclude without sanctions, they can carry significant political consequences, particularly for parties whose appeal rests heavily on arguments about accountability, transparency and restoring trust in public life.

For Reform, the outcome of both cases may prove as important politically as any formal findings themselves.