The anti-immigration Reform UK party has been plunged into yet another funding controversy after two of its senior officials stepped down on Friday. The resignations follow allegations that they were secretly filmed discussing ways to circumvent UK electoral laws on foreign donations, as revealed by a Channel 4 investigation.
The far-right party, which has seen a surge in popularity over the past two years, is already grappling with several other funding scandals involving its leader, Nigel Farage. On Friday, the party announced an internal probe into the latest case, which was brought to light by an undercover investigation by Channel 4 and the investigative group Verbatim.
The footage shows senior Reform officials Dan Jukes and James Orr meeting with undercover reporters posing as prospective donors from the United States. In one instance, Jukes appears to discuss a proposal for Reform to receive a £500,000 ($675,000) donation from an alleged American financier through his son, who purportedly lives in the UK. In separate footage, Orr appears to suggest that the US donor could fund opinion polls for Reform UK instead of donating directly, thereby concealing the source of funds.
Under UK electoral law, political parties may only accept donations from British voters or UK-registered businesses. Donations from overseas individuals or organizations are strictly prohibited. The UK Electoral Commission has emphasized that parties must report all permissible donations exceeding £11,180 and all impermissible donations exceeding £500.
Initially, Reform UK dismissed the allegations as a hoax, but later announced an internal investigation and the temporary suspension of both officials. Farage, however, accused the undercover journalists of "entrapment" and insisted that the party had "broken no laws" and had not accepted any "dodgy money". He claimed that the officials were "contractors" who made inappropriate remarks.
The ruling Labour Party has written to the police urging them to investigate potential criminal offenses. The Metropolitan Police said it was aware of the allegations and would assess any information provided. This latest scandal comes at a critical time for Reform UK, as recent polls show the party tied with Labour at 23% support each, with the Conservatives trailing at 20%.
This is not the first funding scandal to hit Reform UK. In July, Farage temporarily stepped down as MP for Clacton amid allegations that he had employed a convicted fraudster to work on his social media. He also faces a parliamentary inquiry into an undeclared £5 million donation from Thailand-based billionaire Christopher Harborne. Farage denies all wrongdoing and claims that the establishment is waging a coordinated campaign against him.
Political analysts suggest that this scandal could further damage Farage's credibility and cost the party votes in future elections. Professor Justin Fisher of Brunel University noted that the accumulation of scandals is creating a narrative that Reform UK is struggling to overcome, potentially undermining its electoral prospects.
Source: www.aljazeera.com