Defence Secretary John Healey has written to Reform UK leader Nigel Farage demanding transparency over a £5m gift from billionaire Christopher Harborne, raising concerns about potential links to Russian-connected profits and the Iran conflict.
In a letter seen by the Guardian, Healey asked Farage to confirm that none of the sum was derived from transactions with Russian state-linked energy companies, and that Harborne's aviation fuel firm AML Global had fully complied with sanctions on Russian energy since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Healey also questioned whether Farage's initial support for US-Israeli strikes on Iran could have benefited AML Global through rising fuel prices.
Farage faces a formal investigation by the parliamentary standards watchdog after failing to declare the gift, which he received before the 2024 general election. He maintains it was an unconditional gift and not required to be declared once he became an MP.
Healey urged Farage to commit to an independent audit of AML Global's supply chain if he cannot answer the questions with confidence, stating: 'This places Reform UK under a Russian cloud that only transparency can lift.'
An AML Global spokesperson said the company complies fully with all UK and international sanctions and screens all business partners against sanctions databases.
