Labour calls on Farage to ‘come clean’ over £5m gift and work with crime agency over money laundering concerns
Good morning. In a surprise announcement yesterday, the Reform UK leader declared he would resign from the Commons to contest a by-election, aiming to be re-elected as MP for Clacton. He hoped a decisive victory would undermine the parliamentary inquiry into allegations that he breached parliamentary rules by failing to disclose a £5m donation, and potentially other donations as well. However, within hours, all the main parties stated they would not contest the by-election, leaving Farage’s only notable opponent possibly as Count Binface.
The Telegraph, a newspaper typically supportive of Farage (though this stance appears to be shifting, possibly due to new ownership), encapsulated the situation effectively with its front-page headline.
If this is unwelcome at Reform UK headquarters, ’s front-page coverage will be even more so. In her exclusive report, Anna Isaac reveals:
"The £5m gift to Nigel Farage by a cryptocurrency billionaire was reported to the National Crime Agency by bankers who were concerned it may have been laundered money, can reveal.
The disclosure will put further pressure on the Reform UK leader, who is awaiting a decision by the standards commissioner over whether his failure to declare the money breached parliamentary rules."
Farage was given a deadline of 1pm on Tuesday to respond to about this article. At 2pm, he delivered a video address announcing he would trigger a by-election in his Clacton-on-Sea seat.
Responding to ’s story, Anna Turley, the Labour party chair, stated:
"This is an astonishing and deeply serious allegation. The circumstances surrounding Nigel Farage’s secret £5m ‘gift’ absolutely stink. Farage is engulfed in a major sleaze scandal and his attempts to distract won’t wash with the public. He’s desperately flailing and can’t get his story straight, and working people will conclude he’s just in it for himself. The Reform leader must finally come clean. He should publicly commit to cooperating with the National Crime Agency, fess up to the parliamentary watchdog over his finances - and face the consequences."
Lisa Smart, the Liberal Democrat Cabinet Office spokesperson, also commented:
"The wheels are completely coming off the Farage bandwagon. His stunt today is a desperate last ditch attempt from a man who knows the game is up. It seems we may have only scratched the surface on what is to come. We cannot play into this vanity project. All parties should refuse to stand in this by-election, so we can swiftly get back to letting the parliamentary authorities finish their probe on his increasingly dodgy financial dealings. The people of Clacton, and the whole country, deserve the facts."
There are numerous other developments in this story, which will be the primary focus of today’s blog.
However, other news is also scheduled. The agenda for the day includes:
- 9am: Zack Polanski, the Green party leader, speaks at the Local Government Association conference. Other speakers include Suella Braverman, the Reform UK education spokesperson, and James Murray, the health secretary.
- Noon: The deputy prime minister participates in Prime Minister’s Questions.
- Additional attendance at the NATO summit in Turkey.
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