When he became an MP, Farage registered a £9,253 trip to Belgium donated by Cottrell in April 2024, before the election. He went on to register a £15,276 donation from Cottrell for a US domestic flight in December 2024.
However, he has not declared any further support from Cottrell, or the £5m he received from Harborne, arguing he was not required to do so under the rules.
In interviews towards the end of June, the Reform UK leader said he had chosen to earmark the £5m sum from Harborne for his future security costs, arguing he would require protection “for the rest of my life”.
However, he stressed the gift was “unconditional” and how he spends it was “entirely up to me”. Speaking to ITV, he said he was yet to spend the money.
In an interview after the Sunday Times story was published, Reform Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick said Cottrell had contributed towards Farage’s staffing and security costs before he was an MP.
“You’re allowed to accept a gift, support, whatever you want to call it, from a personal friend before you’re a Member of Parliament if it’s in a purely personal capacity,” he added.
Farage is yet to face media questions about support provided by Cottrell detailed in the Sunday Times report. In a statement, he said he had “followed the rules” and was the victim of an “establishment hit job”.
Lawyers for Cottrell say he disputes “allegations and assertions” in the Sunday Times report, and he was reviewing the matter with legal representatives.
