Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice has said the party is not aware of any other large gifts to Nigel Farage or senior figures beyond the £5m from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne, but admitted he cannot check every member's bank accounts. Speaking at the party's first press conference since the Guardian revealed the personal donation, Tice faced repeated questions about the gift, which was made before the general election.
Tice insisted neither he nor Farage feared scrutiny, stating, 'None that I'm aware of. The answer is none that any of us are aware of,' when asked about further large personal gifts. Pressed on whether he had tried to find out about additional donations from Harborne or others, he said: 'At the end of the day, we are saying to people: You've got to trust us. Have I checked the bank account of every single one out of thousands of Reform members? We are working incredibly hard and are confident in what we're doing.'
Tice explained Farage's absence from press conferences for nearly 50 days as a move to showcase the party's broader talent, adding, 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder.' He dismissed comparisons between the Harborne gift and a bribe taken by former Reform Wales leader Nathan Gill, noting Gill's payment was a criminal offence. Tice argued crypto is 'part of modern society' and supported a transparent crypto hub in London.
When asked if Farage should have refused the cash gift, Tice said: 'Nigel decided not to do any business with Elon Musk because Nigel's not for sale. I'm not for sale. None of us are for sale.' He reiterated the party's transparency, highlighting Farage's interviews on the matter, and noted the parliamentary standards commissioner is reviewing the donation.
Labour chair Anna Turley criticised the party, stating: 'Any political party vowing to clean up Britain should start by clearing up how their leader failed to declare a secret £5m gift. It's high time he stopped recycling far-fetched stories, desperately deflecting attention, and frantically trying to sweep this huge scandal under the carpet.'
