Scotland Yard assesses Reform UK over alleged donation rules breaches

Reform UK's annual conference in Birmingham descended into turmoil on Friday, according to reporting by the Mirror, after Scotland Yard confirmed it was assessing reports that senior figures within the party sought to evade electoral law regarding political donations. The unfolding controversy has placed intense pressure on party leader Nigel Farage and overshadowed the gathering at the National Exhibition Centre.

The police assessment follows an undercover investigation by Channel 4 News and the investigative group Verbatim. The footage appeared to capture senior party aides discussing mechanisms to disguise donations originating from foreign contributors. In response to the broadcast, two prominent aides — communications chief Dan Jukes and head of policy James Orr — exited their positions.

Media additions

Senior figures within the party offered conflicting accounts regarding the nature of their departures. Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick told Times Radio that both individuals had been permanently suspended subject to an ongoing internal investigation, noting that they had already left the conference venue. However, other senior party representatives adopted a more cautious tone, with Zia Yusuf telling BBC NewsNight that an investigation was underway and that he wanted to allow due process to take its course.

Both Labour and the Liberal Democrats formally reported Reform UK to the police over the documentary findings. Labour Party chairwoman Bridget Phillipson criticised the leadership, stating that the fallout had thrown the conference into chaos and the party into crisis. Despite the mounting scrutiny, Mr Farage dismissed the secretly recorded statements as loose pub talk and insisted during his keynote address that Reform had broken no laws nor accepted illicit funding, characterizing the allegations as part of a coordinated establishment attack.

The donations row triggered volatile exchanges during media interviews. Mr Jenrick lost his temper during a broadcast appearance when pressed on the allegations, accusing a television presenter of wasting interview time on tittle-tattle and dismissing the undercover investigation as the work of pranksters working for Channel Four.

The conference itself proved equally turbulent on the main stage. Mr Farage's keynote speech faced multiple interruptions from hecklers bearing banners, leading security teams to eject protesters amid disorderly scenes in the auditorium. West Midlands Police confirmed they were reviewing video footage of an alleged assault involving a female protester during her ejection, urging the woman involved to come forward and contact officers using log number 924.

Away from the donations scandal, the conference focused heavily on policy proposals intended for the first 100 days of a potential government. Mr Jenrick used his platform to announce a pledge to raise the tax-free personal allowance to £15,000, funded through planned welfare overhauls targeting disability benefits for mild or moderate mental health conditions, a policy previously condemned by Amnesty International UK as a rollback of rights. Meanwhile, education spokeswoman Suella Braverman outlined plans to restrict student loans for certain degrees and lift caps on medical school training places. Mr Farage also used the stage to sign a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Jordan Bardella of France's National Rally, proposing cooperation on cross-Channel returns.

What to watch next

• The ongoing assessment by Scotland Yard and potential formal inquiries by the Electoral Commission into Reform UK's donation practices.
• The conclusion of the internal party investigation into the conduct of the suspended aides, Dan Jukes and James Orr.
• Police enquiries into the reported incident involving an ejected protester at the Birmingham conference centre.