Nigel Farage and Richard Tice are suing the National Crime Agency (NCA) amid claims it leaked confidential financial details, it has been reported.
Tice, who is MP for Boston and Skegness as well as Reform's deputy leader, alleges NCA leaked "individual bank statements, bank transfers, details of conversations with bank managers from different banks".
Allegations of criminal offences
Speaking to Talk TV, Tice says that he and Farage believe the NCA carried out "multiple criminal offences" and they plan to secure an apology, as well as damages.
Tice has previously written to the NCA to determine whether any of its staff were behind the leaks of private financial information to the press.
Background of the leaks
It follows press reports over long-time aide George Cottrell’s funding for the Reform operation, including alleged payments for staffing, security and housing. Cottrell was previously jailed for eight months in 2017 over fraud offences.
Headlines emerged last month over payments Cottrell’s mother made to Tice’s company Britain Means Business, which were reportedly flagged to the NCA in its suspicious activity reports (SARs) programme, BBC News reports. SARs are not crime reports, although they do alert law enforcement to potential instances of money laundering.
Reform's response
Reform insists that no party officials were ever interviewed by the police and Tice says the allegations were part of a "politically motivated smear campaign".
Tice added he was only made aware of the issue when he was approached by the Guardian newspaper, while the NCA says it has launched an internal inquiry.
A spokesman for the NCA said: "Following complaints brought by Richard Tice MP and Nigel Farage, the NCA's Professional Standards Unit is conducting an investigation. That work is ongoing. It would not be appropriate to comment further at this time."
Financial transactions under scrutiny
Several payments made by Cottrell and his mother have attracted media attention. In late 2024, The Telegraph reported Cottrell made a loan of £80,000 to Tice's company Tisun Investment.
Also in 2024, Cottrell's mother Fiona reportedly donated £1 million to Britain Means Business. The Electoral Commission states that Britain Means Business paid £500,000 to Reform UK that same month.
The NCA then reportedly became aware of these payments through its SARs programme.
Parliamentary rules
Meanwhile, Cottrell's working relationship with Farage in the year before he became an MP has come under scrutiny, with claims he provided payments for security and social media staff.
Parliamentary rules state new MPs must declare any money or gifts received in the 12 months before they are elected which relate to "parliamentary or political activities".
However, gifts and benefits deemed to be "purely personal" are exempt from this rule.
Reform maintains that Cottrell's support was indeed in a "purely personal capacity" and as such, did not breach any guidelines.
