Two senior aides to Nigel Farage, Dan Jukes and James Orr, have stepped down from Reform UK following an undercover investigation. The officials, including the party's head of policy, were suspended after a hidden-camera probe by Verbatim and a documentary by Channel 4 News alleged the party broke electoral laws by arranging for a foreign donor to pay for political polling.
The investigation captured the officials on film apparently arranging contributions from a man posing as a foreign donor. Allegations include the solicitation of substantial foreign funding for party-commissioned opinion polls and a potential £500,000 donation from a US donor, which is banned under UK law. These officials have been reported to the police for the apparent plot to evade the law on foreign donations.
Reform UK chief whip and party chair Lee Anderson stated that Orr and Jukes were told to step down and will not be returning. Anderson described the move as a tough but necessary decision. The scandal unfolded during the party's annual conference in Birmingham, where Farage sought to distance himself from his closest aide and head of policy.
While some party members remained sanguine, reports indicate that senior figures are split and Farage's favorability rating is dropping. The party has faced several financial claims, including an undisclosed £5 million gift, as Farage continues to face questions regarding his own finances and his role in the meetings exposed by the investigation.