Two aides suspended over donations allegations have ‘no chance of coming back’, says Reform UK’s chair Lee Anderson
Lee Anderson, the Reform UK chief whip and party chair, has said that James Orr and Dan Jukes – the two aides primarily involved in the apparent plot exposed by an undercover investigation to evade electoral law – were suspended and won’t be coming back.
In an interview on Sky News this morning, Anderson said:
[Orr and Jukes] were told they had to step down. They have stepped down. And that’s got to be the right thing to do.
The presenter, Kamali Melbourne, put it to Anderson that Orr, head of policy at the party, and Jukes, a key aide to Nigel Farage, were both very important figures in the party and asked if there was any chance they could “come back”. Anderson replied:
No, there’s no chance of them coming back. They’ve stepped aside.
We’re a serious party, you know, and sometimes in politics, you have to make tough decisions, harsh decisions. I think this probably was an easier decision, being given the option to stand down.
They have gone. Like I said, they’ve left the building and our focus now is on the conference today.
Key events
Farage says Reform UK has ‘broken no laws’ and not taken any ‘dodgy money’ in response to undercover investigation
Nigel Farage has been speaking about the undercover donations investigaton. He says the party has “broken no laws” and has not “taken any dodgy money”.
Anderson says Farage won’t quit over undercover report into donations, and ‘country needs him’
In a separate interview, on Times Radio, Lee Anderson, the Reform UK chief whip and party chair, insisted there was no chance of Nigel Farage resigning over the undercover investigation into party donations.
Anderson said:
I don’t think Nigel has got any questions on this. The two people involved, they have gone. They have left the building. I keep saying this time and time again. They have gone. That is the right thing to do. They are not coming back and Nigel is going nowhere …
Nigel is an honest man. I have known him for many years now. The party has done the right thing by launching this investigation. Nigel will be on the main stage later on explaining our first 100 days in government. He is not going anywhere. The country needs him.
While James Orr and Dan Jukes are the main focus of the investigation, the film shown by Channel 4 News suggests Farage himself also had some knowledge of the proposal for a US-based supporter to donate £500,000 to the party by channelling it through his UK-based son. Foreigners are not allowed to donate to UK political parties, and donating via proxies in this manner is also banned.
Farage is filmed attending an oyster bar lunch where he thought he was meeting the father and son. But the ‘son’ was an undercover reporter, and the ‘father’ an actor hired to play the part.
After discussion of how the money from the UK might be given to the party via the son, Farage is recorded telling them: “Thank you both.”
Two aides suspended over donations allegations have ‘no chance of coming back’, says Reform UK’s chair Lee Anderson
Lee Anderson, the Reform UK chief whip and party chair, has said that James Orr and Dan Jukes – the two aides primarily involved in the apparent plot exposed by an undercover investigation to evade electoral law – were suspended and won’t be coming back.
In an interview on Sky News this morning, Anderson said:
[Orr and Jukes] were told they had to step down. They have stepped down. And that’s got to be the right thing to do.
The presenter, Kamali Melbourne, put it to Anderson that Orr, head of policy at the party, and Jukes, a key aide to Nigel Farage, were both very important figures in the party and asked if there was any chance they could “come back”. Anderson replied:
No, there’s no chance of them coming back. They’ve stepped aside.
We’re a serious party, you know, and sometimes in politics, you have to make tough decisions, harsh decisions. I think this probably was an easier decision, being given the option to stand down.
They have gone. Like I said, they’ve left the building and our focus now is on the conference today.
Farage personally has ‘serious questions to answer’ over alleged Reform UK plot to evade electoral law, Ed Davey says
Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, says Nigel Farage was ultimately responsible for the apparent attempt to evade electoral law on donations exposed by the undercover investigation shown on Channel 4 News.
In a post on social media this morning, he says:
So much for this being a “hoax” then.
Clearly very serious questions for Farage to answer given his role in the meeting.
The buck stops with him.
Davey was referring to the way Reform UK, in its first response to the undercover report last night, said it had “been the target of a hoax perpetuated by foreign-funded, climate change activists posing as would-be party donors”.
Labour asks Met police to launch criminal inquiry into Reform UK donations, as two party aides involved step down
Good morning. Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, is speaking on the main day of his party’s conference in Birmingham. It has been a bad summer for the party. After having a large lead over the other parties in opinion polls for over a year, the lead collapsed after Andy Burnham became PM, and now Reform UK and Labour are basically neck and neck. Farage has been embroiled in the scandal over his failure to declare a £5m donation. And last night, on the eve of Farage’s big speech, Channel 4 News broadcast the findings of a long, undercover investigation showing leading Reform UK figures apparently plotting to evade UK law on electoral donations.
Here is Rowena Mason’s story.
You can read the Channel 4 News write-up here. But to fully appreciate how strong the evidence against Reform UK is, it is best to watch the half-hour report in full.
There are two developments this morning.
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Reform UK says the two senior Reform officials most implicated in the apparent plot to evade electoral law are stepping down pending an investigation. In a statement released about half an hour ago, a Reform UK spokesperson said:
Reform UK has launched an investigation following the broadcast of a Channel 4 News programme.
Both individuals involved have stepped down from their respective positions pending the outcome of the investigation.
The party believes it is important that the investigation is allowed to proceed independently and without prejudice. No further comment will be made while the investigation is ongoing.
This is a reference to James Orr, the party’s head of policy, and Dan Jukes, a senior aide to Farage.
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The Labour party has written to the Metropolitan police calling for a criminal investigation. In her letter to Mark Rowley, the Met commissioner, Bridget Phillipson, the Labour party chair, says:
We … believe there is a proper basis for a police investigation into whether offences under PPERA [Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000] have been committed, including, but not necessarily limited to:
(a) offences under section 61(1) concerning evasion of restrictions on donations;
(b) any offence arising from knowingly providing false information to, or withholding material information from, the registered treasurer in circumstances falling within section 61(2);
(c) any offence arising from Reform UK’s acceptance or retention of impermissible donations, including the £32,500 of polling expenditure, if the evidential and reporting facts establish the necessary elements; and
(d) any related offence concerning the accuracy or completeness of statutory donation returns.
We understand that political finance matters also fall within the regulatory remit of the Electoral Commission. We are not suggesting that a police investigation should displace the commission’s role; rather, given the apparent possibility of criminal conduct, we believe the allegations should be brought formally to the attention of the police so that the appropriate authorities can determine the proper investigative route.
Here is the agenda for the day.
11.05am: The main day of Reform UK’s conference opens with tributes to Ann Widdecombe. After that the main speakers on the stage are chief whip Lee Anderson at 11.30am; Welsh leader Dan Thomas at 11.45am; home affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf at noon; Jordon Bardella, president of the French National Rally party at 12.30pm: Matt Goodwin at 3pm; Sarah Pochin MP at 3.15pm; deputy leader Richard Tice at 3.30pm: and Nigel Farage at 3.50pm. There are also fringe meetings through the day.
1pm: Farage and Bardella hold a press conference.
Afternoon: Kemi Badenoch is on a visit in West Sussex.
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