Labour chair Anna Turley has given Nigel Farage 24 hours to report alleged hacking of his phone by Russia-linked actors to the police or security services, warning that Labour will do so if he fails to act. In a letter to the Reform UK leader, Turley said it was in the public and national interest to ensure a proper investigation into the suspected overseas hack.
Farage claimed in a Sunday newspaper that foreign state actors, likely from Russia, accessed his phone and leaked information about a £5m gift from cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne. A Reform spokesperson said the incident had been reported to the relevant authorities, without specifying which ones.
Turley questioned why Harborne gave Farage the money ahead of the 2024 general election, noting Farage's shifting explanations—first for security, then as a Brexit campaign reward. She described the alleged hack as a serious cybercrime and potential hostile-state operation, with implications for national security and democratic integrity.
Ciaran Martin, former head of the National Cyber Security Centre, called Farage's claim unsubstantiated and urged him to formally report it. The parliamentary commissioner for standards is investigating whether Farage breached rules by not declaring the gift.
