Police are investigating donations to Reform UK by a company controlled by the party’s deputy leader, Richard Tice.
The fundraising vehicle, Britain Means Business, reportedly made two donations of £250,000 in the run-up to the 2024 general election.
Mr Tice has said the money was paid to his company by Reform donor Fiona Cottrell – a significant donor to Reform UK and mother of a convicted fraudster with close links to Nigel Farage.
She is said to have given £1 million to Britain Means Business in June 2024, and half of that money was then given to Reform.
As first reported by the BBC, the Metropolitan Police is now examining the transactions involving Mr Tice’s company and said that two people have so far been interviewed under caution.
Mr Tice said: “The BBC article is the first I have heard of it – if true why are the Met Police briefing the BBC before contacting interested parties? Is the Met leadership now engaged in the widespread politically motivated smear campaign against Reform and its leaders?
“Please remember the National Crime Agency is now having to investigate its own potential criminal offences against Reform leaders,” he added.
The Times reported that Reform’s bank account was frozen during the last election after the donations from Ms Cottrell.
All four payments were made in the weeks before the general election in July 2024, when Mr Farage and Mr Tice were first elected to Parliament.
The first donation from Ms Cottrell of £250,000 appeared in the party’s accounts on 9 May, the second payment of £250,000 appeared on 29 May. Britain Means Business made a donation of £250,000 on 10 June and again on 12 June.
A Reform UK spokesman said: “Reform takes pride in its stringent vetting of donations and always ensures that the Electoral Commission guidelines on donations, as set out in the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, are strictly followed, as has been the case with donations so far.”
A Met Police spokesperson : “An investigation was launched in February 2025 after a referral was made to the Metropolitan Police by the Electoral Commission relating to donations made to a political party ahead of the 2024 UK general election.
“Detectives from the Met’s Special Enquiry Team are investigating alleged offences under Section 61 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.
“Early investigative advice has been sought from the Crown Prosecution Service and two people have so far been interviewed under caution. No arrests have been made.
“An offence under this section is not one that the Electoral Commission can investigate and, as such, it is a matter for the police.”
Asked previously about where Ms Cottrell had got the money from, Mr Tice said: “I’ve known the Cottrell family, my family have known the Cottrell family and the broader Hesketh family, for 50 years.
“A very successful aristocratic family, and as far as I’m concerned, she’s a permissible donor and that’s the end of it.”
Ms Cottrell is said to have no history as a political donor.
A Labour Party spokesperson said: “The allegations of sleaze and donation scandals just continue to pile up for Reform.
“Richard Tice can’t dismiss these troubling developments as a ‘smear campaign’. Police are now probing half a million pounds in donations to his party, and Reform’s bank account was frozen after suspected suspicious activity. This is extremely serious.
“From Nigel Farage’s secret £5 million ‘gift’ from a crypto billionaire, to alleged hidden donations from a convicted fraudster, to Tice’s company’s avoidance of £600,000 of corporation tax – and now more police investigations into Reform’s finances – it’s clear that Reform think rules are for other people.”
Reform has been dogged by questions about its funding in recent weeks.
Mr Farage announced he will quit as MP for Clacton to stand in the ensuing by-election after questions mounted about a separate £5 million gift he received from crypto-billionaire and Reform donor Christopher Harborne.
The party leader has billed the by-election, likely to take place on August 13, as a “people versus the establishment” contest.
