Nigel Farage resigns as MP to fight by-election amid finances row | UK News

Farage used his speech to claim “the establishment” had turned to “foul means” to target Reform following the party’s rise in popularity.

Changes to political donation rules and the government’s decision to delay 30 local council elections in England – a decision it later reversed after a legal challenge from Reform – were among the issues cited by him.

He also said he spent the weekend thinking about his future after complaining about media treatment of his family, following the publication of a story by the Sunday Times on his links to longstanding ally George Cottrell.

The newspaper said Farage had received support ahead of the 2024 election from Cottrell, who was jailed for eight months in the US in 2017 after pleading guilty to a charge of wire fraud.

This reportedly included paying for staff who provided Farage’s security and worked on his social media content. According to the newspaper, Farage also used a property near Buckingham Palace rented by Cottrell.

Scrutiny over Farage’s finances first hit the headlines earlier this year, after it emerged he had received a £5m gift from Christopher Harborne, a Thailand-based British cryptocurrency investor, in April 2024, before he entered Parliament.

Harborne is one of the party’s most important financial backers, having donated £15m to Reform since the start of last year.

Farage said the £5m gift was given on an “unconditional basis” and it was needed to help with his personal security in future.

His team has made a similar argument for why the “in kind” – non-cash – benefits allegedly from Cottrell were not registered.

“Let me be absolutely clear: I have done nothing wrong. I have not broken the law in any way at all. I have not misused public money,” he added.

Parliament’s rulebook says newly-elected MPs have to declare gifts or benefits, including accommodation, received in the 12 months before their election that relate to their “parliamentary or political activities”.

There is an exemption for gift and benefits that are “purely personal”.