Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice is under investigation by the standards commissioner over an alleged failure to declare an interest. The probe relates to his declaration of an interest in Israel when speaking on antisemitism in Westminster Hall, and was opened on July 28.
Statement from Richard Tice
In a statement posted on X, Mr Tice said: "I am being investigated for standing against antisemitism. You could not make it up. Standards Commissioner is considering complaint by anti semitic anti Israel lobby group over whether I should have referenced my register of interests at start of a debate on UK democracy and Israeli influence."
He added: "The same anti Israel group failed to notify Commissioner that Ayoub Khan MP did not declare his substantial donation received from a pro Palestine group."
Code of conduct rule
The Reform UK deputy leader faces a probe under rule six in the MPs’ code of conduct, which requires members to be “open and frank” in declaring “any relevant interest in any proceeding of the House or its committees”, and in communications with public office-holders and officials.
Context of Farage investigation
This comes as Nigel Farage faces mounting pressure over his finances. A separate standards investigation into Mr Farage's failure to declare a £5 million gift from Thai-based cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne was paused when he quit as an MP. It will be restarted if he is re-elected in next week's Clacton by-election.
Reform has long insisted the £5 million gift was a personal, unconditional gift, meaning there was no need to declare it. Standards Commissioner Daniel Greenberg was looking into whether Mr Farage broke rules requiring new MPs to declare potentially relevant gifts or donations received in the 12 months before entering the Commons. The £5 million was given to Mr Farage shortly before he announced he was standing in Clacton in 2024.
Political reactions
Labour said Mr Farage’s party “think the rules don’t apply to them”. A Labour spokesperson said: “The Reform sleaze scandals continue to pile up.”
The Liberal Democrats said voters deserve “answers and transparency” from their politicians, not “sleaze and scandal”. Deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: “The rules on declaring interests in debates are there for good reason, but the bigger picture here is that Farage and Reform UK are still under investigation for receiving an undeclared £5 million donation from a bitcoin billionaire.”
