Nigel Farage has registered more than £2 million in financial interests since being elected as the MP for Clacton in July 2024, according to analysis by the investigations website DeSmog. The Reform UK leader's earnings include payments from GB News, which has paid him £700,000 since July, and a recent gift of three boxing match tickets worth £1,749 from South African businessman Avi Lasarow.
The disclosure comes amid scrutiny over a separate £5 million gift from party donor Christopher Harborne, which Farage did not declare. Farage has stated the money was an unconditional, non-political personal gift used for security, and that there was no obligation to declare it. However, Labour and the Conservatives have criticised the non-disclosure, and a senior Reform member admitted it was a 'disappointing distraction'.
A Survation poll for 38 Degrees found that 68% of the British public are concerned the gift could give Harborne inappropriate influence over Farage's political decisions. The Electoral Commission is investigating a complaint from the Conservative party regarding the undeclared funds.
Parliamentary rules require any benefits received within 12 months before taking office to be declared, unless they are purely personal. Farage has insisted the gift was private and non-political, adding that he has 'looked at this from every legal angle' and found no obligation to declare it.
Insiders at Reform UK have described a 'paranoid vibe' at party headquarters following the news, with staff being questioned about how the Guardian discovered the gift. The party has provided media lines emphasising the security threats Farage faces and the unconditional nature of the donation.
