Farage scrambles to fix battered leadership as scandal engulfs Reform conference

Nigel Farage attempted to reinforce his leadership on Friday, seeking to separate himself from two of his most senior officials reported to police for allegedly attempting to circumvent laws on foreign donations.

As the controversy dominated Reform UK's party conference in Birmingham, Farage suspended his closest aide, Dan Jukes, and head of policy, James Orr, following an undercover investigation by reporters from the group Verbatim.

Farage later stated that Jukes and Orr had made "human error" and were "not authorised" to act as they did when attempting to arrange donations to benefit the party from a fake US businessman, who was not permitted to give money.

The Metropolitan police are reviewing the evidence after a complaint that Farage, Orr, and Jukes may have violated political funding laws, with sources indicating a full investigation is highly likely. They all deny wrongdoing.

Orr is an associate professor of divinity at the University of Cambridge who had been working for Reform, reporting directly to Farage, since February. Cambridge stated it was "looking into these matters." Jukes has been at Farage's side for over a decade working on communications and strategy.

Farage had been introduced by Jukes to the would-be US donor promising £500,000 despite being ineligible, who was actually an undercover reporter. The Reform leader then appeared to endorse the arrangement for the impermissible US donor to give money through his son, a UK intermediary, by saying "thank you, both" and "all above board."

After dismissing the sting as a "hoax," Reform began efforts to limit the damage to Farage before his main conference speech, following a summer of scandals over his finances including an undeclared £5m gift.

Farage dismissed the allegations as "a little local difficulty" and described the reports as "an exercise in entrapment."

Farage claimed Orr and Jukes had merely been "contractors" who engaged in "loose pub talk, including a couple of boasts that simply were not true." One party figure, Nadine Dorries, claimed Jukes had only booked transport and carried bags, despite being a senior adviser integral to Reform's operations for many years.

When told he had thanked the bogus donors, Farage said: "It was the middle of the byelection. I was told I had to go and meet these people. I didn't have to, but I did. I was told they had a global family trust headquartered in London. I asked the question: is this all above board?"

Farage also insisted the party's internal processes would have stopped any impermissible donors and said neither Jukes nor Orr should have been carrying out fundraising. He stated a suggestion by Jukes that other foreign donations had been channelled through UK intermediaries was not true and the donors did not exist.

The pair were filmed by undercover reporters from Verbatim, founded by the Centre for Climate Reporting, and the footage was broadcast by Channel 4 News on the eve of Reform's conference.

In the footage, Orr and Jukes appeared to help orchestrate an impermissible donation of £30,000 from the fake US donor, used to pay for polling benefiting Reform. The money from an American company was transferred to JL Partners. It was not declared to the Electoral Commission.

Jukes discussed whether the US businessman could give £500,000 through a UK intermediary and introduced the would-be donors to Farage at a lunch in Clacton.

The controversy overshadowed the first full day of the conference, with every Reform politician repeatedly questioned.

The incident exposed splits within the party, with Zia Yusuf, the party's home affairs spokesperson, strongly distancing himself from Jukes and Orr. He told reporters "anyone who supports Reform is disappointed," and added: "It's just not something I am personally involved in."

Yusuf also released a personal video about his background, leading to speculation he could challenge for the leadership against Robert Jenrick or Richard Tice if Farage were forced out.

However, some Reform insiders believe Farage will part company with Yusuf, partly over his ambition and combative social media style, including a post on X that led to accusations of racism towards a Somalia-born Labour councillor. Farage is understood to have used a rude term about Yusuf recently regarding his social media activity.

One senior Reform figure said Yusuf would have to leave as a precondition for reconciliation with Rupert Lowe, whose party Restore Britain has attracted voters on the hard right. Farage has condemned Lowe as vindictive but some believe reconciliation could occur if Yusuf departed.

Reform had planned for Farage to announce a deal with hard-right French National Rally president Jordan Bardella regarding small boats crossing the Channel. However, the press conference was dominated by questions about the foreign donations scandal.

Farage's main speech was delayed after climate protesters disrupted Tice's appearance, and more activists interrupted his address. While waiting to go on stage, the Reform leader danced and sang with the crowd.

He began his speech by calling for Andy Burnham to hold a general election and accusing Labour of planning to increase taxes.

Jukes stated: "This was entrapment over a prolonged period of time by individuals using selective editing who had their own agenda to discredit Reform UK."

Orr said: "I have agreed to step down from my current role at Reform UK pending the outcome of the party's internal investigation into the conduct of the program, with which I will cooperate fully."

The speech contained limited policy details, though Farage hinted at examining how judges are appointed, suggesting the party could consider a system of political appointments similar to the US.