Two senior Reform UK officials have stepped down from their positions pending an internal investigation into claims surrounding party financing aired in an undercover report.
Dan Jukes, a long-standing senior aide to Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, and James Orr, the party’s head of policy and senior policy adviser, both resigned from their respective positions as the party launched an investigation into the allegations.
A Reform UK spokesman confirmed that both men had stepped down while the investigation is conducted.
“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.
“The party believes it is important that the investigation is allowed to proceed independently and without prejudice. No further comment will be made while the investigation is ongoing.”
A Reform UK spokesman
The investigation featured undercover footage appearing to show Jukes discussing a potential route for securing a £500,000 donation from a foreign source through an intermediary in the UK.
The report alleged that discussions centred on how the proposed funding could be structured to comply with, or potentially circumvent, restrictions governing political donations in Britain.
Under UK electoral law, political parties can only receive permissible donations from certain categories of donors. These include individuals registered to vote in the UK and companies registered in the UK.
In the scenario presented in the undercover footage, the donor’s son would be eligible to make a donation under the rules, while his father, a US citizen, would not be a permissible donor.
The footage was obtained by Verbatim Investigations, an undercover reporting group founded by journalists from the Centre for Climate Reporting. According to Channel 4 News, it had independently verified the material supplied to it before deciding to broadcast the report.
The allegations have placed questions over the source and potential structure of political funding at the centre of attention, particularly as Reform UK continues to position itself as a major challenger to the established parties.
The programme also featured Farage, who is due to deliver the main address at Reform UK’s Birmingham conference.
According to the report, the men portrayed as wealthy potential backers had already funded £32,500 worth of polling commissioned by Reform UK. The findings from that polling were subsequently reported in national newspapers.
However, Reform UK has rejected allegations of wrongdoing and strongly criticised the investigation.
According to the party, it had “been the target of a hoax perpetuated by foreign-funded climate change activists,” framing the operation as an attempt by campaigners opposed to its political position to damage the party.
The departure of Jukes and Orr has nevertheless shifted the focus towards the internal investigation and whether the footage raises questions requiring further scrutiny.
Labour Calls for Scrutiny as Reform Faces Party Financing Questions
The allegations have also prompted a political response from Labour, which has sought to capitalise on the controversy as Reform UK continues to make gains in opinion polling and challenge the governing party.
Labour Party Chair Bridget Phillipson reported the matter to the Metropolitan Police. However, no investigation has been launched by the force.
While UK electoral law permits donations from qualifying individuals and companies, a donor who does not meet the legal requirements cannot simply provide funds to a political party through an alternative arrangement.
The undercover footage has therefore raised questions about whether any proposed structure for the £500,000 donation could comply with the law.
Meanwhile, Education Secretary Lucy Powell stated that there are strict rules governing political donations because of the need to protect public confidence in the electoral system.
“We actually do have very tight rules around these things in this country for a reason, so that people have confidence in the electoral system and in our democracy. But time and again, I think what we’re finding is Reform just thinks these rules don’t apply to them.”
Lucy Powell
Reform UK, however, has urged that the process be conducted independently and impartially, while declining to discuss the matter further until it has concluded.
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