Undercover footage broadcast by a national broadcaster has captured senior figures from Reform UK discussing methods to accept a £500,000 foreign donation while circumventing electoral law, prompting internal investigations and police scrutiny of the party's fundraising practices.
Dan Jukes, a senior aide to party leader Nigel Farage, was filmed meeting with a man presented as the UK-based son of a wealthy American businessman. When the undercover reporter raised concerns that his father could not legally donate directly to the party, Jukes responded by suggesting an alternative structure. Standing outside a pub in Westminster, Jukes stated
"you do realise that you can do it?"The national broadcaster's report indicates Jukes was proposing that the donation be registered in the UK-based son's name, with funds originating from the American father. Jukes then remarked
"Actually that does strike me as a solution,"and added
"That's one of the ways in which we do it,"in exchanges that appeared to reference previous instances of this arrangement.
Under UK electoral law, permissible donors must be either UK registered voters or companies registered in the United Kingdom. A foreign national cannot legally donate to a British political party, but a UK-based family member can—creating the loophole that Jukes appeared to exploit.
What happened at the Clacton lunch?
Later footage showed a lunch in Clacton, Essex, attended by both the undercover reporter posing as the son and another operative posing as his American father, alongside Jukes and Farage himself. When the son explained that he would be the registered donor while his father would send money to him afterward, Farage responded by saying
"it's all above board"and thanked both men. The exchange suggested Farage was aware of and approved the proposed arrangement.
James Orr, Reform UK's Head of Policy, is also now under internal investigation. Earlier in the undercover operation, Orr had suggested to the reporter that his father might pay for opinion polling to support Reform's campaigning. The polling would cost £18,000 plus VAT, with Orr proposing that the polling company send the bill to the undercover reporter rather than directly to the party.
How much polling was commissioned this way?
The national broadcaster's investigation found that Reform commissioned three polls totalling £32,500, and the public was not informed about who funded or commissioned them. Failing to disclose such funding would breach electoral law, and accepting foreign funding in this manner would also be illegal. According to reporting on the matter, the Liberal Democrats subsequently reported the polling arrangement to police as a possible breach of funding rules involving a US firm.
Reform UK has denied any wrongdoing, claiming in a statement that the party
"has been the target of a hoax perpetuated by foreign funded climate change activists."The party identified the undercover group as Verbatim Investigations, which it alleges is a front for the Center for Climate Reporting, incorporated in July 2026. Reform stated that the methods of the group's founder, Lawrence Carter, have previously been criticised by members of the United States Congress for producing
"videos [that] appear to be substantially edited, creating an incomplete record of the conversation."
Reform also asserted that it maintains
"a robust vetting process for prospective donors approved by the Electoral Commission."
What is the legal framework for political donations?
An Electoral Commission spokesperson explained that
"The law requires political parties to report all permissible donations they accept with a value over £11,180 and all impermissible donations over £500."The spokesperson added that
"Information about any potential attempt to evade the controls on donations is for the police to consider."
The Metropolitan Police confirmed awareness of the allegations, stating that
"We're aware of media reporting on Thursday, 3 September involving political party donations and an alleged breach of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 relating to polling. We will assess this matter and any information provided to us."According to the BBC, the Met's Special Enquiry Team is examining possible offences under section 61 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000. It is understood that the force has not yet formally begun an investigation.
What is the broader context of Reform UK's fundraising?
This undercover operation comes amid a pattern of scrutiny surrounding Reform UK's financial practices. The Electoral Commission has previously referred separate donation issues involving the party to the Metropolitan Police, with investigations beginning in February 2025. Additionally, the commission has been examining a £30,000 private-flights donation to Reform UK and moved it into a formal assessment stage. Reform has also faced earlier scrutiny over donations from Fiona Cottrell, mother of convicted fraudster George Cottrell, with the Electoral Commission already making a referral to police regarding those contributions.
According to reporting on the undercover investigation, Reform still relies on a small number of major donors with overseas links. The government has proposed new donations rules that would cap overseas funding at £100,000 annually and require donors to have been on the UK electoral register for at least 12 months and be genuinely resident at a UK address. Under the planned legislation, gifts exceeding that cap would have to be returned if deemed impermissible.
What happens next?
Reform UK's internal investigations into both Dan Jukes and James Orr remain ongoing, with no public completion date announced. The government's new overseas-donations legislation is expected to be passed before the £100,000 cap can take effect. Jukes has been approached for comment but has not yet responded.
Key Facts
- Undercover footage shows Reform UK senior aide Dan Jukes suggesting a method to accept a £500,000 foreign donation while circumventing electoral law
- Reform UK leader Nigel Farage was filmed approving the proposed arrangement at a lunch in Clacton, Essex
- The party commissioned three polls totalling £32,500 without publicly disclosing their funding sources, which would breach electoral law
- The Metropolitan Police is assessing the allegations and examining possible offences under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000
- Reform UK denies wrongdoing and claims to be the victim of a hoax by climate change activists
