Met Police open criminal investigation into Reform UK funding allegations

London's Metropolitan Police have opened a criminal investigation into allegations that Reform UK may have breached electoral funding laws. The decision follows an undercover documentary that aired last week and raised questions about foreign donations linked to the party. Police said the matter will now form part of an existing inquiry into donations made to the same political party.

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In a statement, the force said detectives had assessed a number of reports relating to donations and polling involving a political party. It said there were potential offences requiring investigation, and that the new allegations were similar in nature to matters already being examined by the Met's Special Enquiry Team. The police did not set out the full scope of the inquiry, but said the latest issues would be folded into the ongoing case.

Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, denied wrongdoing and said it would fully cooperate with the investigation. The party said it had done nothing improper after the documentary suggested officials had discussed foreign funding arrangements. The allegations were aired during Reform's annual conference, adding immediate political pressure to the party as it faces scrutiny over how it is financed.

The case matters because electoral funding rules are central to the integrity of political competition in the United Kingdom. Allegations involving foreign money are especially sensitive because parties are restricted in how they can receive donations and pay for campaign activity. A police investigation does not establish guilt, but it can deepen public concern and increase pressure on party leaders to explain their funding practices.

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According to the reporting that prompted the inquiry, the undercover investigation was carried out by an investigative group that said it spent a year speaking to Reform officials about possible donations. It alleged the party had broken electoral law by arranging for a foreign donor to pay for political polling. The report also said two senior figures, including then head of policy James Orr and Nigel Farage's former right-hand man Dan Jukes, were shown discussing funding with people presented as a US businessman and his British-based son.

What remains unclear is whether police will identify any individual offences or whether the wider inquiry will lead to further action. The Metropolitan Police has not said when it expects to conclude the investigation, and Reform UK has rejected the allegations. The next developments are likely to centre on what evidence detectives gather and whether the existing donations inquiry produces any separate findings.

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