Met Police Investigate Reform UK Donations Amid Broader Financial Scrutiny
Two individuals interviewed under caution as police probe £500,000 payments to party's fundraising vehicle.
Image: Eddie Pollard / AI
Callum Smith
The Metropolitan Police are investigating donations made to Reform UK by a company controlled by the party's deputy leader, Richard Tice, following a referral from the Electoral Commission.
Britain Means Business, a fundraising vehicle solely owned by Richard Tice since 2020, provided Reform UK with two donations of £250,000 before the 2024 general election.
Fiona Cottrell, a Reform donor, reportedly paid this money to Richard Tice's company, triggering a police inquiry into alleged offenses under Section 61 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.
The investigation specifically examines whether these donations comply with electoral commission guidelines.
A Met Police spokesperson confirmed, "An investigation was launched in February 2025 after a referral was made to the Metropolitan Police by the Electoral Commission relating to donations made to a political party ahead of the 2024 UK General Election."
Detectives from the Met’s Special Enquiry Team lead this investigation. A spokesperson stated, "Detectives from the Met’s Special Enquiry Team are investigating alleged offences under Section 61 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000."
Early investigative advice has been sought from the Crown Prosecution Service. Two individuals have been interviewed under caution, though no arrests have been made.
The Electoral Commission, which maintains a public record of political donations, referred the matter to the police because an offense under this section falls beyond its investigative remit.
This referral concerns a £500,000 donation from Fiona Cottrell, the mother of a convicted fraudster with close links to Nigel Farage, in addition to the two £250,000 donations from Richard Tice's company.
This investigation unfolds as Reform UK faces additional scrutiny, including questions surrounding a separate £5 million gift to Nigel Farage from crypto-billionaire Christopher Harborne.
Nigel Farage is quitting as MP for Clacton to stand in a by-election following these questions. The gift was also reportedly reported to the National Crime Agency (NCA).
The National Crime Agency has launched its own investigation into allegations of staff misconduct concerning leaked Reform MPs’ bank transactions, a criminal offense under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
The focus centers on whether donations, including Fiona Cottrell's £500,000 and the payments from Richard Tice's company, were properly declared and if improper influence or misconduct by staff handling these transactions occurred.
The agency confirmed it referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) regarding these alleged leaks.
Despite these inquiries, the NCA found no evidence of wrongdoing by Nigel Farage or Richard Tice in its own review.
Is the Met leadership now engaged in the widespread politically motivated smear campaign against Reform and its leaders?
Richard Tice, however, questioned the timing and nature of the Met Police's actions, asking, "Is the Met leadership now engaged in the widespread politically motivated smear campaign against Reform and its leaders?"
He further claimed the BBC article was the first he had heard of the investigation, questioning why the Met Police would brief the media before contacting interested parties.
A Reform UK spokesman asserted the party's commitment to compliance, stating, "Reform takes pride in its stringent vetting of donations and always ensures that the Electoral Commission guidelines on donations, as set out in the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, are strictly followed, as has been the case with donations so far."
The Labour Party has seized on these developments. A spokesperson claimed that "the allegations of sleaze and donation scandals just continue to pile up for Reform."
The Labour spokesperson added that Richard Tice cannot dismiss these as a 'smear campaign,' highlighting that police are probing half a million pounds in donations and that Reform’s bank account was reportedly frozen after suspected suspicious activity.
Nigel Farage and Richard Tice have claimed the NCA was the sole entity possessing all the information subsequently leaked to other publications. Nigel Farage asserted that one or more people at the NCA have committed numerous criminal acts.
The ongoing investigations by both the Metropolitan Police and the National Crime Agency underscore a period of intense financial and ethical examination for Reform UK and its leadership.