Nigel Farage Denies Involvement in Donation Scandal after Investigation
By September 6, 2026 / 2:04 AM EDT / CBS News
Nigel Farage, leader of the U.K.’s Reform Party, dismissed his role in a donation scandal uncovered by an undercover investigation where a journalist posed as a wealthy American’s son seeking to donate to the party. Farage stated to CBS News’ partner, BBC News, that he “frankly wasn’t listening” during a recorded discussion with senior aides about arranging donations.
According to British law, a permissible donor to a U.K. political party must be a U.K.-registered voter or a company. The investigation revealed that while the son is a permissible donor, the father is not. During an interview with BBC, Farage explained he was campaigning at the time and unaware of all details related to the supposed donation.
The money could come from all over the world, you know. Income could have come from all over the world into a family office based in London. I know electoral law, I know donation law better than anybody,
Farage told the BBC.
He noted that two aides filmed during the conversation “have never been involved in fundraising before and they shouldn’t have been involved directly in fundraising.”
Following the report aired by Britain’s Channel 4 news, Reform Party announced an internal investigation. Two officials, James Orr and Dan Jukes, resigned during the investigation. This was confirmed by a spokesperson. Jukes, seen as Farage’s key aide, is viewed as having an “innate sense of his boss’ instinct,” according to BBC News. Orr, a noted figure in the national conservative movement, headed policy for the party before resigning. Both denied any misconduct.
In an interview with LBC Radio, Farage maintained that the party had not breached any laws.
The party has not taken any dodgy money or anything like that whatsoever,
Faraige said. He added that the situation was clear entrapment, orchestrated over a long time to provoke inappropriate comments from the contractors, leading to their removal.
Jukes referred to the report as “entrapment over a prolonged period of nearly a year by foreign-funded climate change activists” and stated his intent to clear his name by stepping back from politics. Orr echoed his decision to step down from his role, expressing full cooperation with the party’s internal probe.