Nigel Farage has been referred to parliament's standards watchdog after the Guardian revealed he received an undeclared £5m gift from a party donor. The referral was made by the Conservative party, citing rules requiring MPs to declare any personal benefit received in the 12 months before taking office, within a month of being elected.
The gift from Thailand-based crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne fell within that period. Some personal gifts are exempt if they could not reasonably be thought to be related to parliamentary or political activities, but the rules state that if there is any doubt, the benefit should be registered.
Farage had stated he did not intend to stand as an MP but changed his mind in June 2024, within weeks of receiving the gift. A Reform UK spokesperson said the gift and his decision to stand were entirely unrelated. Farage told the Daily Telegraph that the gift was made because Harborne is an ardent supporter concerned for his safety.
Kevin Hollinrake, the Tory party chair, said Farage had been obliged to declare the gift and that the Conservatives were referring him to the standards commissioner. Labour said it appeared Farage had broken the rules, while the Liberal Democrats called for an investigation into whether he promised anything in exchange for the money.
A Reform UK spokesperson said the gift did not need to be declared as it was a personal unconditional gift, adding that they had complied with all relevant rules and regulations.
