Reform UK officials step down as new funding scandal hits far-right party

By Al Jazeera Staff and News Agencies. Published On 4 Sep 20264 Sep 2026.

Key points

• Both criminal and parliamentary investigations into Harborne's donations – he has additionally given Reform more than 25 million pounds ($33.6m) – are continuing.
• After the broadcast of an investigative television documentary, party authorities James Orr and Dan Jukes unveiled on Friday that they would step down.
• The ruling Labour Party, as well as the opposition Liberal Democrats, remarked they had noted Reform to the police after the revelations.
• The resignation of long-term Farage aide Jukes, and Reform's head of policy Orr, comes on the eve of the party's annual conference.
• A spokesperson for London's Met Police remarked it was aware of media reporting.

Two authorities from Britain's Reform UK have stepped down against the backdrop of the latest in a series of funding scandals for the far-right political party.

After the broadcast of an investigative television documentary, party authorities James Orr and Dan Jukes unveiled on Friday that they would step down. The party, which has seen backing slide against the backdrop of numerous reports regarding infringement of party donation rules, noted it would launch a probe into the latest allegations.

For context, the undercover investigation by Channel 4 News alleged that the Reform UK authorities breached political donation rules by arranging to have polling paid for by an overseas business.

In the documentary, Jukes is seen suggesting to an undercover reporter how to evade electoral law to create donations to the party from abroad.

Sitting at the table, Party leader Nigel Farage notes all is "above board" as the reporter tells him that he has been in negotiations with Orr for some time.

Meanwhile, the resignation of long-term Farage aide Jukes, and Reform's head of policy Orr, comes on the eve of the party's annual conference.

Farage – who has been dogged by questions over funds received on a personal basis as well as by Reform in recent months – insisted on Friday in a radio interview that the party has "broken no laws".

Nevertheless, he went on, "entrapped conversations don't look good, and that's why we've ".

For context, a spokesperson for London's Met Police remarked it was "aware of media reporting. Involving political party donations and an alleged breach of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 relating to polling".

Notably, the ruling Labour Party, as well as the opposition Liberal Democrats, remarked they had noted Reform to the police after the revelations. It the anti-immigration party initially dismissed as a "hoax".

Farage sought to hit back by accusing other political parties of "selling peerages".

"In the world of political funding, all sorts of things have been done over decades that are wrong, " he asserted. "We as a party have done nothing wrong. A couple of our contractors have remarked things that shouldn't have been stated."

Against the backdrop of the series of funding scandals to have hit Reform in recent months, the disclosure of an undeclared personal gift of 5 million pounds ($6.7m) to Farage by cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne has done the most damage so far.

Scrutiny is focused on Tether, Harborne's cryptocurrency. It has been widely linked to drug cartels, fraud and human trafficking.

Against the backdrop of the storm, Farage produced international headlines by resigning his parliamentary seat to prompt a by-election, in which he cast himself as taking on "the establishment".

Although the almost 10, 000 votes achieved by his closest rival, "intergalactic space warrior" Count Binface, illustrated significant opposition, with other major parties dismissing the move as a stunt and refusing to put up candidates, the populist leader won comfortably.

Taken together, the developments around reform UK officials step down as new funding scandal hits far point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.