Nigel Farage has said he "frankly wasn't listening" during a conversation with his former chief of staff and an undercover reporter discussing what appears to have been a scheme to funnel foreign money to Reform UK.
asserted
what → say → UK
His former chief of staff Dan Jukes and ex-head of policy James Orr have both been removed from their jobs after an investigation recorded them talking about how to get money to the party from an American donor and asking a fake company to pay for polling.
asserted
them → remove → polling
Jukes has denied doing anything wrong.
asserted
Jukes → deny → anything
Orr has told Sky News he will co-operate fully with Reform's internal investigation.
asserted
he → tell → investigation
In an interview with the BBC, the Reform leader said he was not listening to the discussion and revealed his family are "begging" him to leave his job amid increasing pressure.
asserted
family → say → pressure
In a film by Verbatim Investigations and Channel 4 News, Farage and Jukes were present during a conversation in which it is suggested the US donor gives £500,000 to Reform through his UK-based son.
uncertain
donor → suggest → son
Under electoral law, donors to UK political parties must be a UK registered voter, or a company registered in the UK, so cannot give money from abroad through a British resident.
asserted
donors → register → resident
The proposed donation was never made as it was part of an undercover sting, but that it was seemingly entertained has sparked questions.
asserted
entertained → propose → questions
When asked about the exchange by reporters at Reform's party conference on Friday, Farage said he was questioning whether the arrangement was above board.
asserted
arrangement → ask → board
In an interview to be broadcast on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, he has now said: "I am not a compliance officer.
asserted
I → broadcast → Kuenssberg
I turn up.
asserted
I → turn → ?
I frankly wasn't even listening."
asserted
I → listen → ?
"I was told there was a global family office based in London, so the money could have come from Singapore," he said of the conversation in the Channel 4 film.
"
uncertain
he → tell → film
The money could come from all over the world, you know.
uncertain
you → come → world
Income could have came from all over the world into a family office based in London.
uncertain
Income → come → London
I know electoral law.
asserted
I → know → law
I know donation law better than anybody.
asserted
I → know → anybody
"Frankly, the two individuals involved here have never been involved in fundraising before and they shouldn't have been involved directly in fundraising.
asserted
they → involve → fundraising
They should have done basic checks and nobody, nobody should be brought to me, unless they've been vetted from."
asserted
they → do → me
The row over the Channel 4 film has threatened to capsize Reform's conference, with Labour and the Liberal Democrats calling on the Metropolitan Police to investigate the claims.
uncertain
Labour → threaten → claims
The force is assessing whether or not to investigate.
asserted
force → assess → ?
Jukes and Orr - both senior figures in Farage's inner circle - have stood down pending the outcome of the party's internal investigation, but political opponents are demanding that Farage is investigated and takes accountability.
asserted
Farage → stand → accountability
Farage categorically denied that Reform had ever taken money from a foreign entity by channelling it through a UK donor.
asserted
Reform → deny → donor
But as pressure ramps up on Farage in the latest crisis to rock Reform, he also told the BBC that "for the first time", he does not have his family's support to be in politics.
asserted
he → ramp → politics
"They would rather I packed it up and walked away," he said.
asserted
he → pack → it
He added he had not considered standing down, but "when you've got your family begging you to, it's not easy".
asserted
it → add → you
Farage also condemned the hundreds of masked "stop the boats" protesters who descended on the Port of Dover on Saturday morning, causing major travel disruption.
asserted
who → condemn → disruption
Farage said he "deplored" anyone wearing masks or balaclavas at public demonstrations.
asserted
he → say → demonstrations
He added: "You should not be allowed to be masked up, balaclava-ed up and go out and protest on the streets of our country.
asserted
You → add → country
So I deplore what is happening in Dover today."
asserted
what → deplore → Dover
Analysis: Farage may have to pay more attention
There's no question the allegations in the Channel 4 film have been embarrassing for Reform, and disrupted what they hoped would be a conference about their plans for office if they win the next General Election.
Everywhere around the huge, draughty exhibition hall in Birmingham are giant posters and placards saying, "Reform - the first 100 days".
uncertain
posters → pay → Reform
They wanted to herald their deal with a serious contender to be the next French President, Jordan Bardella, to deal with small boats.
asserted
They → want → boats
They were keen to highlight the promise to cut income tax if they win the election, scheduled to be in 2029.
asserted
they → highlight → 2029
They wanted to talk about their proposals for education, welfare, planning, and the rest.
asserted
They → want → education
Party members, delighted to have a reason to get together, have taken part in those sessions, applauded and cheered in the hall; gone wild for Farage on stage.
But for the rest of the country, most of the noise from the conference will have been the huge and awkward story about the toxic mix of politics and money.
asserted
most → have → politics
What is harder to assess is the impact this mess will have on Farage's standing with the public, after a tricky summer and a recent poll slump.
asserted
mess → assess → summer
At the top of the party there is a quiet admission that what has happened here is a genuine mistake.
asserted
happened → be → party
One senior figure told me they could brush off other claims of murky funding, confident nothing had gone wrong - but they conceded these claims do matter, and that for a certain vital percentage of voters, it would "cause them to ask questions".
uncertain
them → tell → questions
No one is pretending it's just what Farage tried to joke was a "little, local difficulty".
And there is a private acknowledgement that stories like this can be off putting to voters beyond Reform's no doubt very enthusiastic base.
asserted
stories → pretend → base
Another party source told me they were "totally blindsided" by the revelations; stunned "there'd just been no diligence" and in disbelief at how Jukes and Orr, who both say they'd done nothing wrong, seem to have behaved.
asserted
they → tell → nothing
…and 10 more, not listed.
