Labour Reports Alleged Hacking of Nigel Farage’s Phone
Labour has reported the alleged hacking of Nigel Farage’s phone to police and government cybersecurity officials after the Reform UK leader did not report the incident himself.
Anna Turley, chair of Labour, has requested that the Metropolitan Police and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) investigate Farage’s claims that his phone was compromised by hostile actors linked to Russia.
Claims of Data Breach and £5m Gift Leak
Reform UK has suggested that ’s report revealing Farage received a £5 million gift from Christopher Harborne, a Thailand-based cryptocurrency billionaire, originated from material leaked from Farage’s phone, email, and bank accounts. The party stated it believed the information had been obtained by “hostile actors, almost certainly linked to Moscow.”
Reform UK said it had reported the matter to “the relevant authorities” but did not specify which ones. Labour challenged Reform to refer the case to the NCSC, but as of Thursday afternoon, it was understood that this had not occurred.
Farage is also understood not to have reported the matter to the Metropolitan Police, which is now considering contacting him to ask if he wishes to do so. Labour’s communication with the police does not constitute a formal crime report, and therefore the Met cannot initiate an investigation on that basis.
Labour’s Call for Investigation
In a letter to Farage, Turley wrote:
“Quite apart from the implications for you personally, the alleged crime is an incredibly serious one, with potential wider implications for Britain’s national security, the integrity of our politics and public confidence in our democratic system.”
“I have therefore today contacted the National Cyber Security Centre and the Metropolitan police to ensure that the suspicions you and [Reform UK] have publicly raised are investigated properly.”
A spokesperson for Reform said: “It has been reported to the relevant authorities. It would be inappropriate to comment further while investigations are ongoing.”
The Metropolitan Police and NCSC have been contacted for comment.
Details of the £5m Gift and Parliamentary Rules
reported that Harborne gave Farage £5 million in 2024, shortly before Farage announced his intention to stand for parliament, despite previously stating he would not do so.
Parliamentary rules require MPs to declare any gifts received in the 12 months before taking office, depending on whether the gift was for political or personal purposes.
Farage initially claimed that Harborne had given him the money to cover security costs, before later stating it was payment for his years of campaigning for Brexit.
Since entering parliament, Farage has advocated for positions including allowing people to pay taxes with digital currency.
Allegations of Russian Hack and Forensic Analysis
While Farage continues to face questions about why he did not declare the donation, Reform sources have claimed ’s story originated from a hack by Russian spies.
A party source told the Mail on Sunday that Farage had submitted his phone for forensic analysis by counter-espionage experts, who concluded it had been compromised through a “spear phishing” attack.
described as “absurd” suggestions that its reporting was based on material obtained through a Russian hack, calling Farage’s claim “an attempt to deflect attention from legitimate scrutiny of his financial affairs.”
Kevin Hollinrake, Conservative party chair, told that Farage had spent years “making excuses for [Vladimir] Putin” but was now “playing the Russia card” when confronted with questions over his donations.
Tax Questions and Parliamentary Group Intervention
The Reform leader is also facing questions over whether he should have paid tax on the donation.
Phil Brickell, chair of the Labour anti-corruption all-party parliamentary group, and Lloyd Hatton, a Labour MP on the public accounts committee, have written to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) urging officials to examine whether Farage owed tax on the money.
Their intervention follows an assessment by tax expert Dan Neidle, who said Farage could be liable if the money was provided in return for work carried out for Harborne, or as an incentive to stand for parliament.
Neidle concluded, however, that this was unlikely and that Farage “probably doesn’t owe tax” on the gift.
