Reform has suspended two senior officials after they were filmed in an undercover investigation appearing to plot to avoid electoral laws on foreign donations. In a blow to Nigel Farage hours before his conference speech, the party said it had launched an investigation into the actions of James Orr, the party’s head of policy, and Dan Jukes, a senior aide to Farage, following the broadcast by Channel 4 News. Jukes and Orr were filmed by a group of investigative journalists called Verbatim, founded by the Centre for Climate Reporting, helping to orchestrate a plot apparently to bypass election laws.
The journalists posed as a potential Reform supporter and his wealthy American father, an impermissible donor, who paid for £30,000 of polling commissioned by Reform and which benefited the party when it was published in national newspapers. If found to have been a donation in kind and made from abroad, it would have been impermissible as it was a foreign source and was not registered with the Electoral Commission. Farage was subsequently caught on camera in a meeting with the fake US donor in Clacton where he appears to be celebrating the success of the poll, saying it was “amazing” and provided “bang for buck”, adding: “It worked.
Boom.” The Liberal Democrats and Labour have reported the actions of Reform to the police to investigate whether there has been a breach of electoral law. On Friday morning, Farage said the party had done nothing wrong and no rules were broken, saying on LBC that polls were funded by foreign sources all the time. However, a Reform UK spokespersom said the officials would be suspended pending an investigation, saying: “Reform UK has launched an investigation following the broadcast of a Channel 4 News programme.
Both individuals involved have stepped down from their respective positions pending the outcome of the investigation. No further comment will be made while the investigation is ongoing.” Reform initially described the investigation as a “hoax” and dismissed those behind it as activists, in a series of counterattacks on the outfit behind the undercover filming. But by Friday morning, it had taken action with the statement announcing the investigation into Orr and Jukes in what appeared to be an attempt to distance Farage from their actions.
However, there appeared to be some controversy over how to deal with Orr and Jukes. Lee Anderson, the party’s chair, said Orr and Jukes were not coming back, telling Sky News: “I think it’s only right and proper, that we’re fair, open and transparent and get this investigation launched today. And the two people concerned in the video, they’ve gone.
We’re a serious party, you know, and sometimes in politics, you have to make tough decisions, harsh decisions. I think this probably was an easier decision, being given the option to stand down. They have gone.” Richard Tice, the deputy leader, later did not rule out them returning to their roles after the inquiry.
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