Police Investigation Launched into Reform UK's Campaign Spending Allegations
A police investigation has been launched into allegations that Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, breached electoral law during its 2024 general election campaign. The claims center around Richard Everett, a former Reform councillor and member of Farage's campaign team, who allegedly submitted documents to the Metropolitan police showing the party spent more than the £20,660 limit in the Clacton constituency.
Everett has claimed that Reform falsely reported election expenses, with the party supposedly coming just £400 under the spending limit set by electoral law. However, he believes that the undeclared spending would have put it above the cap, and that Farage himself was "blissfully unaware" of these overspending issues.
The news comes as Farage faces increasing pressure to apologize over racism allegations described to the Guardian by 28 of his peers at Dulwich college. Reform has denied breaking electoral law, calling Everett a "disgruntled former councillor" who was expelled from the party several months ago.
Labour and Conservative chairs have called on the police and Electoral Commission to investigate these claims, with Labour chair Anna Turley urging Farage to "come clean" over the allegations. The pressure mounts as Farage attempts to distance himself from the controversy surrounding his campaign spending and racism allegations.
Police forces are now assessing an allegation of misreported expenditure by a political party, understood to be Reform, in connection with the 2024 general election. While neither police force has named a party or candidate, the investigation raises questions about whether Reform UK followed electoral law during its campaign to win Farage's Commons seat at last year's general election.
A police investigation has been launched into allegations that Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, breached electoral law during its 2024 general election campaign. The claims center around Richard Everett, a former Reform councillor and member of Farage's campaign team, who allegedly submitted documents to the Metropolitan police showing the party spent more than the £20,660 limit in the Clacton constituency.
Everett has claimed that Reform falsely reported election expenses, with the party supposedly coming just £400 under the spending limit set by electoral law. However, he believes that the undeclared spending would have put it above the cap, and that Farage himself was "blissfully unaware" of these overspending issues.
The news comes as Farage faces increasing pressure to apologize over racism allegations described to the Guardian by 28 of his peers at Dulwich college. Reform has denied breaking electoral law, calling Everett a "disgruntled former councillor" who was expelled from the party several months ago.
Labour and Conservative chairs have called on the police and Electoral Commission to investigate these claims, with Labour chair Anna Turley urging Farage to "come clean" over the allegations. The pressure mounts as Farage attempts to distance himself from the controversy surrounding his campaign spending and racism allegations.
Police forces are now assessing an allegation of misreported expenditure by a political party, understood to be Reform, in connection with the 2024 general election. While neither police force has named a party or candidate, the investigation raises questions about whether Reform UK followed electoral law during its campaign to win Farage's Commons seat at last year's general election.