Metropolitan Police Probe Donations to Reform UK

London's Metropolitan Police are investigating suspicious donations totaling about €590,000 to Reform UK, the party led by Nigel Farage. According to The Times, the money was donated by Fiona Cottrell, the mother of George Cottrell, a close associate of Farage.

George Cottrell was convicted of fraud in the United States in 2017 and now works in the cryptocurrency industry. Investigators are examining whether the donations breached political finance laws by concealing their true source or through false declarations.

Police said they have been investigating the case since February 2025 following a referral from the Electoral Commission. The donations were reportedly made before the 2024 general election. Two people have been interviewed under caution, but no arrests have been made.

Farage has also faced criticism over his income and undisclosed donations from a billionaire investor involved in the cryptocurrency sector.

The Reform UK leader denies any wrongdoing. He says he accepted the disputed cryptocurrency-related donations before formally announcing his candidacy and was therefore under no legal obligation to declare them. Earlier this week, he also announced that he would resign his parliamentary seat and contest the resulting by-election, describing the move as a response to continuing public scrutiny of his finances.

(Reuters, Max)