The Metropolitan Police have launched an investigation into a political donation made to Robert Jenrick's Conservative Party leadership campaign in 2024, following a referral from the Electoral Commission. The probe focuses on allegations that a portion of the funds originated from a foreign donor, which is illegal under UK election laws.
Donation Details and Allegations
The donation in question amounts to £100,000 and was given to Jenrick's campaign by UK-based company Spott Fitness. According to reports in the i newspaper, around a third of this sum—approximately £37,000—is alleged to have come from a US business associate of the company's director, Ullmann. That associate, Gary Klopfenstein, has since been convicted of fraud in the United States.
Robert Jenrick, who served as a minister under Rishi Sunak and later defected to Reform UK in early 2026, has strongly denied the claims. In a statement, he said: “These allegations are entirely false, but it is no surprise that an establishment determined to stop Reform from delivering the change that this country so desperately needs would resort to making these demonstrably untrue claims. I have had no contact with the MET police whatsoever in connection with this matter.”
Political Reactions and Previous Scrutiny
The Labour Party had previously called on Jenrick's campaign to return the alleged funds in April 2025, after the Electoral Commission began looking into the donation. The Guardian reported at that time that the elections watchdog had referred evidence to the police. Conservative Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake commented: “The Electoral Commission rightly referred this matter to the Metropolitan Police who are now investigating. The law is crystal clear that foreign donations are illegal, and the true source of a donation must be declared. The public deserves the truth about this donation.”
A spokesperson for Jenrick dismissed the allegations as politically motivated, stating: “The suggestion that Robert knowingly accepted impermissible donations is an untrue, politically motivated smear, put about years later by the Conservatives, despite the fact that Mr Ullman was introduced to Robert by a Tory MP, and had his donations’ permissibility checked by the party. Robert and his campaign team complied with all electoral laws when receiving the donation received from Spott Fitness Ltd in 2024. Mr Jenrick has never met, spoken to, or had any contact with Mr Klopfenstein, nor was he aware of any connection between him and Mr Ullman’s donation until he was contacted by the Electoral Commission. He fully cooperated with the Electoral Commission inquiry, providing detailed records that categorically disproved these smears in 2025.”
Police and Electoral Commission Statements
A Met Police spokesman confirmed: “We have launched an investigation following a referral from the Electoral Commission on Tuesday, 6 January concerning donations connected to a political party’s leadership campaign. The investigation remains ongoing.” The police have not specified whether the probe targets a specific individual. An Electoral Commission spokeswoman added: “We have been investigating donations connected to a 2024 leadership campaign. Evidence of potential offences outside our remit was referred to the Metropolitan Police Service on 6 January 2026. Our investigation is paused pending their investigation into this matter. We don’t discuss the details of our investigations and cannot comment further at this stage.”
