The Labour party has written to Nigel Farage, urging him to stop evading scrutiny regarding a £5 million personal gift he received from Christopher Harborne, a Thailand-based cryptocurrency billionaire. The letter arrives as a planning application reveals Farage's plans to transform a dilapidated property in Kent into a luxury beachfront residence.
Scrutiny Over the Gift
Farage is currently under investigation by the parliamentary standards commissioner after The Guardian disclosed that he received the gift weeks before reversing his decision not to stand as an MP in the 2024 general election. He was later elected as the MP for Clacton in Essex and maintained a high media profile with weekly press conferences. However, these regular briefings have ceased since the news broke in April.
Anna Turley, the Labour party chair, accused Farage of running from scrutiny. She stated, "It's time he ended his deafening silence and came clean with the public as to what's gone on here. He can't keep dodging questions and changing his story."
Initially, Farage claimed the gift was for personal security for the rest of his life. After further questioning, he altered his explanation, saying he considered it a reward from Harborne for his campaign efforts for Brexit. He has insisted that there was no need to declare the £5 million to authorities because he was not an MP at the time of receipt.
Property Plans and Purchases
Details have emerged about Farage's plans to renovate a beachfront house in Greatstone, Kent. His company, Thorn in the Side Ltd, purchased the property in March 2023 for £575,000. A planning application submitted to Folkestone and Hythe District Council proposes a large extension and conversion into a four-bedroom family home with a sea-view balcony, log burner, lift, and six bathrooms. A design statement said the works would "transform the property into a high-quality, contemporary family home."
A housing expert estimated the renovation could cost up to £700,000, potentially raising the property's value to £1.5 million. In May, Farage personally acquired another property in Surrey for £1.4 million without a mortgage, weeks after receiving Harborne's gift.
Reform UK told the BBC that Farage's £1.5 million fee from appearing on ITV's I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! in late 2023 funded the Surrey purchase, which began before the gift was received. However, the Financial Times reported that accounts for Thorn in the Side suggested the money was not withdrawn at the time of purchase.
Responses from Farage's Team
A spokesperson for Farage stated that work on the first planning application for the Kent house began in November 2023, "a long time before the unconditional gift was made." They added, "The second application related to more modest plans than those originally proposed. No building work has even commenced on the property in question."
Regarding the Surrey house, a Reform spokesperson previously said it was not bought with Harborne's gift, noting that anti-money laundering checks were carried out before the gift was made. The spokesperson said, "Nigel has multiple sources of income, as you can see from his parliamentary register."
