In a fresh blow to Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, the party is facing a potential second investigation into claims that it overspent by £9,000 during Farage’s Clacton election campaign. The allegations, brought forward by a whistleblower, suggest that the party failed to properly declare spending on leaflets, banners, utility bills and the refurbishment of a campaign office bar.
The Electoral Commission has confirmed that it is “assessing the information” provided by Labour Party Chair Anna Turley, who has called on Farage to “urgently come out of hiding” and address the “incredibly serious” claims. Turley has warned that if the undeclared spending is included in Reform’s national spending return, there is a real risk that the party’s financial reporting is “inaccurate or incomplete”.
The whistleblower, Richard Everett, a former Reform councillor and member of Farage’s campaign team, alleges that the party’s official return came just £400 under the £20,660 spending limit, and that the undeclared costs would have pushed them over the cap. Both Essex and Metropolitan Police are currently reviewing the allegations.
Reform UK has strenuously denied any wrongdoing, describing Everett as a “disgruntled former councillor”. However, Turley has accused Farage of “treating the British people with contempt” by remaining silent on the matter.
This latest investigation comes just months after Farage was urged by 26 of his former school contemporaries to apologise for his divisive political rhetoric. With the party’s credibility once again under scrutiny, Farage faces a crucial test in addressing these latest allegations head-on and restoring public trust.
