Arron Banks, the businessman who bankrolled the Brexit campaign, has been accused of commissioning surveillance on journalists after it emerged he hired private investigators to monitor reporters.
Private investigators hired
According to documents seen by the Guardian, Banks, who was a major donor to the Leave.EU campaign, employed a firm of private investigators to carry out surveillance on journalists who had written critically about him.
The investigators were reportedly tasked with gathering information on the journalists' personal lives and contacts, in what has been described as an attempt to intimidate or discredit them.
Reaction and implications
The revelations have sparked concern among press freedom campaigners, who say such tactics are a threat to investigative journalism and the public's right to know.
Banks has not commented on the allegations. The Guardian has seen documents that appear to show contracts and invoices for the surveillance work, but it is not clear how long the operation lasted or how much it cost.
The story comes amid growing scrutiny of the role of wealthy donors in politics and the lengths they may go to protect their reputations.
