Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has moved to contain the fallout from a damaging undercover investigation, dismissing controversial remarks by senior party figures as “loose pub talk.”
The party endured a bruising 24 hours after a Channel 4 investigation filmed chief of staff Dan Jukes and head of policy Dr James Orr apparently agreeing to accept foreign donations through a middleman, a potential breach of electoral law.
Both Jukes and Orr have since been suspended from the party pending an internal investigation into their conduct during the undercover operation.
Farage described the comments made by the two men as “injudicious at best,” while insisting neither was authorised to act in the manner captured on film.
“Whilst I’m aware that our people were pushed and sort of provoked into saying these things, the comments were injudicious at best,” Farage said at the press conference.
“Neither of these members were authorised to act in that way, accordingly, they’ve stepped down pending an investigation. I emphasise again, no one’s broken any law, and we take compliance around donations very, very seriously,” he added.
Farage also stressed that bleeped-out claims made by the pair regarding existing donations were “not true,” and that the donation discussed in the Channel 4 investigation was never actually made.
“What is more problematic is loose pub talk, including a couple of boasts that simply were not true,” Farage said, seeking to draw a line under the episode.
Farage himself appears in the sting footage saying some payments to JL Partners for party polling represented “bang for buck,” though he maintained the polls were not commissioned by Reform.
He also told the press conference that he asked whether everything was “above board” when dealing with prospective donors, framing his conduct as evidence of proper due diligence.
Industry representatives told City AM that the investigation was damaging for business relations and could add to perceptions of mixed messaging on policy and political priorities.
The press conference was held alongside Jordan Bardella, president of the rightwing National Rally party in France, with the pair signing a pact to “stop the boats forever” should both win elected office.
Bardella is tipped to become French prime minister if Marine Le Pen wins the 2027 presidential election, following confirmation she is permitted to stand as a candidate.
A Reform spokesman said the party had launched a formal investigation and that it “believes it is important that the investigation is allowed to proceed independently and without prejudice.”
The scandal adds to existing scrutiny over Farage’s financial affairs, including a continuing parliamentary investigation into a £5m donation from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne made before the 2024 general election.
Opposition figures wrote to the Metropolitan Police to report a potential breach of electoral law, and the Met confirmed it would assess the matter and any information provided to it.
The Met Police said in a statement: “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.”
A party spokesman denied any wrongdoing, saying Reform had not broken the law or “taken dodgy money” and had “nothing to do” with a poll showing the party beating Labour on key issues.