Farage Announces Resignation as MP
Nigel Farage has resigned as a Member of Parliament, announcing his departure in a lengthy public statement on July 7, 2026. The Reform UK leader had earlier teased a major announcement about his future on X, promising a bombshell statement at 2pm. In his resignation, Farage insisted he had “absolutely obeyed” parliamentary rules regarding MP conduct and claimed he had done nothing wrong regarding questions about his financial support.
Defends Financial Conduct
In his statement, Farage reflected on his victory as MP for Clacton and his party's gains, before addressing the scrutiny over his finances. He argued that the press objects to MPs having assets or outside income, stating: “Making money is not a crime.” Farage noted that he gave up a career in the City at great cost to become an MEP and campaign for Brexit, but acknowledged that he had financially done well over the past decade, including receiving a large personal gift he described as a “lottery win.”
Scrutiny Over Financial Ties
Farage’s resignation comes amid intense scrutiny over financial support from convicted fraudster George Cottrell, who reportedly funded security and staffing for Farage before the 2024 general election. Cottrell also allowed Farage to use a five-storey Georgian property near Buckingham Palace. Labour has asked the Electoral Commission to investigate whether this support should have been declared, questioning whether Cottrell was a permissible donor. Farage is also facing a parliamentary investigation over a £5 million gift from Reform donor Christopher Harborne.
Labour Calls for Investigation
Labour Party chairwoman Anna Turley wrote to the Electoral Commission, stating: “It is now abundantly clear that Mr Farage may have not only broken Parliamentary rules, he may have broken the law.” She added: “Farage can’t brazenly brush this off as being ‘none of your business’ any longer. He needs to own his self-inflicted scandal and prove he’s not been secretly breaking the rules and taking the British public for fools.”
Farage Denies Wrongdoing
Farage has denied any wrongdoing, insisting he followed the rules and considering legal action against The Sunday Times, which investigated his ties with Cottrell. In a statement on July 5, he said: “I have done no wrongdoing, followed the rules and I am now considering legal action against The Sunday Times. It’s now clear the establishment will stop at nothing to hurt Reform – we want to smash their cosy consensus.”
Airport Confrontation with Sky News
Farage reacted angrily when approached by a Sky News journalist at an airport, warning: “You tell your bosses, you harass my family any more… serious consequences.” Sky News denied contacting his family, but Farage wrote on X: “This is an outright lie from @SkyNews. They hounded my daughter at home, just days after The Times published where my family live. Despicable behaviour from the media.”
