Britain's democracy faces a grave threat from Russian attempts to bribe MPs and undermine political institutions, police have warned as a former Reform UK party leader in Wales was jailed for accepting cash to support Vladimir Putin's allies.
Corruption at the Heart of British Politics
Nathan Gill, the former head of Reform UK in Wales, has been sentenced to ten and a half years in prison after admitting eight counts of bribery between 2018 and 2019. The 52-year-old accepted tens of thousands of pounds in bribes to deliver speeches, give interviews and arrange events supporting Russian activities in Ukraine.
The Old Bailey heard that Gill received approximately £5,000 per appearance to read parliamentary speeches urging Ukraine to negotiate with Moscow following Russia's invasion of Crimea and paramilitary incursions into the Donbas region. He also delivered scripted media statements criticising Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky while supporting Viktor Medvedchuk, a personal friend of President Putin.
Systematic Recruitment Operation
Gill was instructed to 'recruit' other British MPs and Members of the European Parliament to attend pro-Russia events, including what was described as 'a leading figure in the Brexit Party' - the predecessor to Reform UK that was headed by Nigel Farage at the time.
WhatsApp messages revealed that Gill would deliver word-for-word scripted statements provided by Oleg Voloshyn, a former Ukrainian politician, to the European Parliament and in interviews with a pro-Russian TV station backed by Medvedchuk. The court heard he was promised he would be 'rewarded' with a 'sack of paper gifts' believed to contain money if he brought his 'friends' in the Brexit Party to events.
Police later discovered bundles of cash including euros and US dollars during a raid on Gill's Anglesey home in September 2021. Detectives intercepted Gill at Manchester Airport as he attempted to travel to Russia, seizing his mobile phone which contained numerous messages about payments for speeches.
Widespread Kremlin Influence Campaign
Dominic Murphy, Head of Scotland Yard's Counter Terrorism Command, issued a stark warning that Moscow's attempts to influence British politics are 'widespread'. He stated: 'This is the first type of case we've seen like this but what we've seen in this case does raise questions. I think we're beginning to see a course of conduct in those states that wish to do us harm, about their influence over society, politicians and politics more broadly.'
The case has revealed that four other pro-Brexit MEPs are under investigation in connection with the scandal, though Scotland Yard confirmed that Nigel Farage is not among them and there is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by the Reform leader.
Gill's activities included appearances on Russian state broadcaster RT in 2016 and 2017, where he criticised EU sanctions imposed on Russia for its war against Ukraine. At the time, he was not alone among UKIP members in appearing on the channel, as Mr Farage also made appearances around the same period criticising the EU and NATO.
The prosecution highlighted that Gill 'offers no excuse for his venal compromise' after accepting at least £30,000 in bribes. The father-of-five, a practicing Mormon who lives on Anglesey with his family, represented North Wales in the Welsh Parliament between 2016 and 2017 and served as a UKIP MEP from 2014 to 2020.
