Nigel Farage is under investigation by Parliament’s standards watchdog over a £5 million gift from a crypto billionaire supporter, in a fresh row over transparency and political funding.
The Reform UK leader is being investigated by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards over whether he breached Commons rules by failing to declare the payment, which he insists was a personal gift intended to fund his long-term security.
The money was provided by businessman Christopher Harborne, a Thailand-based British billionaire and major cryptocurrency investor, before Mr Farage entered Parliament as MP for Clacton.
The inquiry will examine whether the Reform leader complied with Rule 5 of the House of Commons Code of Conduct, which requires MPs to properly register financial interests.
The Conservatives reportedly referred the matter to the watchdog after details of the payment were made public last week.
Nigel Farage has consistently denied any wrongdoing and argued he was under no obligation to register the payment because it was not a political donation.
A spokesman for Reform UK said: “Mr Farage’s office is in communications with the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards.
“He has always been clear that this was a personal, unconditional gift, and no rules were broken.
“We look forward to this being put to bed once and for all.”
Mr Farage previously said the funds were necessary because of ongoing security threats and what he described as a lack of support from the state.
“I don’t think the state will ever help me,” he told The Telegraph last month.
“I’m very much on my own and will be for the rest of my life, and I have to face up to that grim reality.”
He added that Mr Harborne was “deeply concerned” for his safety.
The controversy has reignited scrutiny of political donations and financial influence in Westminster, particularly after Mr Harborne donated £9 million to Reform UK last year — the largest single political donation ever made by a living individual in Britain.
The investigation comes at a politically sensitive moment for Reform, which has enjoyed rising polling numbers and growing momentum following Labour’s turbulent local election losses.
Leave a Comment