Reform UK MP Sarah Pochin has escalated attacks on the parliamentary standards system by describing the investigation into Nigel Farage over undeclared gifts as a “kangaroo court”. Pochin, the Runcorn MP, posted on X that Farage had called a byelection in his Clacton seat to let voters decide, arguing that “the media, the British state and the old parties have mounted a vicious and desperate campaign to stop Reform UK”.
Farage's Byelection Strategy
Farage triggered a byelection in Clacton, where he faces over 30 candidates but none from the main parties, which boycotted the contest. Pochin noted that Clacton was once a safe Tory seat but now the Tories won't field a candidate. She wrote: “We can’t call a general election, so rather than submit to a kangaroo court in parliament, Nigel Farage has handed the power back to the people of Clacton.”
Standards Investigation Details
The parliamentary standards commissioner is investigating whether Farage should have declared a £5m gift from Thailand-based businessman Christopher Harborne, given before the last election. Farage insists he was not in politics at the time. The inquiry also covers support from friend and fraudster George Cottrell, who provided accommodation and paid for social media filming in 2024.
Farage's Defence
Farage told the Triggernometry podcast that the £5m was “totally undeclarable” and claimed a top international lawyer advised it did not need declaring because it was unconditional. He acknowledged the standards system could find against him but said the gift was given freely with a supporting document.
Escalation of Rhetoric
Pochin's remarks echo Boris Johnson's claim that the privileges committee was a “kangaroo court” when it found he misled Parliament over Covid rule-breaking. Farage had previously said the investigation was a “political tool”, but Pochin's comments suggest a predetermined verdict, marking an escalation in undermining the standards system.
Potential Consequences
If the commissioner finds against Farage with a substantial sanction recommending suspension from the Commons, a recall petition could trigger a second byelection, in which major parties have vowed to stand against him.
