A criminal investigation into Reform UK over allegations it breached foreign funding laws dominates Thursday's front pages. The Metropolitan Police is conducting the inquiry following an undercover broadcast by News last week, in which a reporter recorded two senior Reform officials apparently discussing methods to circumvent electoral law in order to obtain foreign party donations. According to reporting on the investigation, the new inquiry will merge with a pre-existing police investigation into other donations to Reform UK. A Reform UK spokesman states the party
denies any wrongdoing and will fully cooperate with the investigation.
The Electoral Commission is also examining the matter in parallel with the police inquiry, considering all relevant information and regulatory steps. According to the Metropolitan Police, two people had already been interviewed under caution in the separate donations inquiry before this latest development.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is set to be interviewed by police as part of the donations investigation. The undercover report alleged that more than £30,000 was arranged for three opinion polls paid for by a US company, potentially circumventing British law that bans foreign donations to political parties. The Met received
a number of reports relating to donations and polling involving a political partyafter the film by News and Verbatim Investigations aired last Thursday.
The police inquiry encompasses multiple layers of alleged misconduct. The Met had already been investigating whether payments to Reform in the weeks before the last election complied with donation laws. The force is also examining payments from a company controlled by Reform's deputy leader Richard Tice, which received £1m in June 2024. According to police sources, the separate donations inquiry has been examining allegations involving at least £500,000 in donations linked to the mother of a convicted fraudster.
The timing of the investigation has created significant disruption within Reform UK. According to reporting on the party's response, two senior figures stepped down while an internal investigation continued, with the scandal overshadowing Reform's annual conference. The party said the two officials featured in the undercover report had stepped down pending an internal probe.
What is the background to the foreign funding allegations?
British law prohibits foreign donations to political parties, making the arrangement of polling or other support through an overseas company a potential breach of electoral rules. The investigation was broadcast just before Reform's annual conference and triggered both internal and police complaints. The Electoral Commission had already been considering related information and regulatory steps alongside the police response.
How has the airport crisis unfolded?
Beyond the Reform UK story, a major technical failure has disrupted UK aviation. The number of flights cancelled after a technical failure of the UK's air traffic control system rose above 2,000 on Wednesday, affecting hundreds of thousands of passengers. The UK Civil Aviation Authority says passengers are unlikely to be entitled to compensation for the disruption.
The crisis has intensified pressure on National Air Traffic Services (Nats) leadership. Martin Rolfe, who has led Nats for 11 years, faces mounting calls to step down after the latest computer glitch affected 330,000 passengers. The technical failure has prompted questions about the resilience of the UK's critical aviation infrastructure.
What tax changes is Labour proposing for tourism?
Labour is planning to expand local authority powers over tourism taxation. Prime Minister Andy Burnham will hand mayors the power to impose unlimited taxes on tourists, potentially leading to families paying hundreds of pounds more on holidays in England. Senior figures in the hospitality sector expressed surprise at the announcement, having initially believed the tax would be capped, with one unnamed source warning the plans will create a
jobs bloodbath.
Why is the UK government concerned about AI testing restrictions?
The artificial intelligence firm Anthropic has excluded Britain's AI Security Institute from tests on its latest model, raising concerns in Whitehall about potential US government protectionism. The $1tn tech company made Claude Mythos 5.1 available only to vetted US bodies, denying British researchers access to evaluate the system's safety and capabilities.
The exclusion has prompted alarm among British officials about the implications for UK AI oversight. A former Anthropic researcher, Jacob Coxon, quit the company warning that the technology could pose existential risks. Coxon cautioned that out-of-control AI development could lead to catastrophic outcomes, with the tech arms race moving too quickly without adequate safety measures.
Have relations improved between Prince Harry and King Charles?
The Duke of Sussex and King Charles III have spoken since Prince Harry returned to the UK with his family, contrary to earlier reports suggesting no contact had occurred. Royal sources indicate that father and son spoke to each other in the first week of the latter's arrival in the Cotswolds. However, the pair have not reunited in person, meaning the conversation remained at a distance.
How has Labour's welfare spending priority drawn criticism?
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has branded Labour the
Welfare Partyafter Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he would not prioritise defence spending over social security. Writing in the Daily Mail, Badenoch criticised the admission made during Prime Minister's Questions, saying Burnham had
said the quiet part out loud. The statement has been characterised by opposition figures as a staggering admission about Labour's spending priorities.
What happens next?
The Metropolitan Police is expected to continue assessing evidence and interviewing people under caution as part of the donations investigation. Reform UK's internal investigation into the conduct of the two officials remains pending. No public court date or police interview timetable has been announced, though Farage's interview is anticipated as a significant milestone in the inquiry.
Key Facts
- The Metropolitan Police investigation into Reform UK donations will merge with a pre-existing inquiry into other donations to the party
- The undercover report alleged more than £30,000 was arranged for opinion polls paid for by a US company
- The separate donations inquiry has examined allegations involving at least £500,000 in donations linked to the mother of a convicted fraudster
- Over 2,000 flights were cancelled following an air traffic control system failure, affecting 330,000 passengers
- Anthropic excluded Britain's AI Security Institute from testing its latest model, with access limited to vetted US bodies only
