Scotland Yard probes Reform UK over £500,000 donations linked to Cottrell family
Scotland Yard have been looking into potential offences relating to the "evasion of restrictions on donations" after the six-figure sum was given to Reform by Fiona Cottrell, The Times reports.
The potential offences being probed relate to disguising donations from an "impermissible source" or providing "false information" about the donation or donor.
Two people have reportedly been interviewed under caution in the probe which is said to have been launched in February 2025.
Aristocrat Fiona, 67, and convicted fraudster George, 32, are at the centre of the investigation - in the latest allegation of financial impropriety to hit Reform.
The Times reports that the force’s inquiry is believed to relate to two £250,000 payments made to Reform in May 2024, weeks before the July 4 general election.
According to The Guardian, Fiona Cottrell also deposited £1 million in a bank account controlled by Richard Tice, which was then partially donated to Reform by the MP for Boston and Skegness.
Scotland Yard told LBC: "An investigation was launched in February 2025 after a referral was made to the Metropolitan Police by the Electoral Commission relating to donations made to a political party ahead of the 2024 UK general election.
"Detectives from the Met’s special inquiry team are investigating alleged offences under section 61 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000. Early investigative advice has been sought from the Crown Prosecution Service and two people have so far been interviewed under caution. No arrests have been made.
"An offence under this section is not one that the Electoral Commission can investigate and, as such, it is a matter for the police."
The Electoral Commission said: "The Metropolitan Police Service have issued a statement about an ongoing police investigation. We have no further comment."
Leader Nigel Farage stood down from his Clacton seat on Tuesday while at the centre of a parliamentary probe into a £5 million sum paid to him by Thailand-based crypto-billionaire Christopher Harborne.
He has also faced criticism for the money paid to him by ’Posh George’ Cottrell for security and social media staff before he was elected as the MP for Clacton in July 2024.
Mr Farage has insisted he did not need to declare either sum when he became an MP, because they were an unconditional gift and unrelated to political activity, respectively.
Mr Farage was facing two probes into Cottrell and Harborne’s support when he stood down as Clacton’s MP, which were both paused.
The investigations will resume if he is re-elected and, if wrongdoing is found, he could face a suspension from the Commons, a recall petition and subsequently a second by-election in the Essex constituency.=
The financial allegations have also extended to other members of Reform.
Deputy leader Richard Tice has been accused of underpaying tax in relation to a company he owned, which donated more than £1m to the party.
Treasury spokesperson Robert Jenrick has also been at the centre of reports regarding a donation to his campaign to become Tory leader before his defection to Reform.
Both Tice and Jenrick have vigorously denied wrongdoing.
A Reform UK spokesman said: “The British people are tired of the establishment media doing anything they can to stop Reform.
"A daily routine of hit jobs and smears will not deter us from winning the next general election and fixing broken Britain.
"It’s now clear that the establishment will try anything to stop us.”
World Affairs Correspondent
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
