Reform UK’s leading figures, including Nigel Farage, Lee Anderson, and Robert Jenrick, have repeatedly promoted JCB’s new pothole-fixing machine, the PotHole Pro, after the construction firm donated £200,000 to the party, the Guardian has revealed.
At a rally in Birmingham last year, Farage entered the stage on one of the repair vehicles, calling JCB “one of the most incredible companies in the world” and suggesting the machine would be used in Reform-run councils. The donation was made in November 2024, following years of JCB donations to the Conservatives.
At least two Reform-led councils, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire, have adopted the machines through their contractors, stating this was done via proper procurement channels. However, the Liberal Democrats have lodged a complaint with the Electoral Commission, questioning whether “public contracts may be being traded for political patronage”.
A JCB spokesperson said the PotHole Pro is used by councils of all political stripes across Great Britain, citing its proven track record of repairing potholes four times faster and at half the cost of traditional methods.
