Richard Tice, the deputy leader of Reform UK, has refused to rule out further large undeclared gifts being given to senior party figures after his boss Nigel Farage admitted receiving £5 million from a crypto billionaire. Speaking at a press conference, Tice said he was not aware of any additional gifts but told voters they 'have to trust us' as questions mount over the payment from donor Christopher Harborne.
Questions over undeclared donation
Farage is under investigation by Parliament's Standards Commissioner for failing to declare the gift from Thailand-based Harborne, which was received in 2024 before the general election. Farage has claimed the payment only came to light because his phone was hacked by Russian-backed sources, but he has not provided evidence. Tice declined to confirm whether the party had reported the alleged hack to police or the National Cyber Security Centre, saying it would 'help our enemies' to give a running commentary.
Tice's response on further gifts
When asked if other Reform figures had taken large undeclared gifts, Tice said: 'None that I'm aware of.' Pressed on whether the party was actively checking, he added: 'Have I checked the bank account of every single member of the two-hundred-and-something-thousand Reform members? Don't be daft.' He insisted the party is complying with rules.
Labour demands transparency
Labour Party chair Anna Turley criticised Reform's lack of clarity, stating: 'It really shouldn't be difficult for Reform to confirm they reported an alleged hack of their Party Leader by a hostile state to the police.' She reported the claim herself after Reform failed to provide proof. Turley noted that 50 days had passed since Farage's last press conference and urged him to come clean over the 'deepening scandal'.
Tice suggested journalists had 'got bored' of Farage's press conferences, but stressed that the leader is 'absolutely determined' to show Reform is not a one-man band. When asked if Farage was scared of scrutiny, Tice replied: 'I think one thing you can say over the last 30 years is that Nigel Farage is not scared.'
