The Conservatives have announced they are referring Nigel Farage to the parliamentary commissioner for standards following a Guardian report that he received £5m from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne shortly before declaring his candidacy for the 2024 election.
Background of the Donation
The undisclosed donation came to light in an exclusive Guardian investigation. Farage, as a newly elected MP, was required to declare all political donations and gifts received in the previous 12 months to the House of Commons. The Tories argue that this £5m payment from Harborne raises serious ethical questions.
Conservative Response
Kevin Hollinrake, the Conservative Party chair, stated: "As a new member of parliament, Farage was obliged to report to the House of Commons all political donations and political gifts he had received during the previous 12 months. The Conservatives are today referring Nigel Farage to the parliamentary standards commissioner. This £5m from the crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne raises serious questions. What is Nigel Farage hiding? And why does Reform think the rules don’t apply to them? This stinks and Reform should come clean now."
The referral adds to growing scrutiny over Reform UK's funding and transparency, with the Tories demanding full disclosure and an investigation into the matter.
