Reform UK officials step down after undercover funding probe

Reform UK officials step down pending investigation into alleged foreign funding attempt.

TruthFoundry News Desk

Stands on 8 placed sources from 2 publishers.

Reform UK announced that senior aide Dan Jukes and head of policy James Orr have stepped down pending the outcome of an internal investigation into claims about party funding. ^[1] Reform UK suspended advisers Dan Jukes and policy chief James Orr pending an internal investigation after they were filmed discussing accepting funds from a foreign donor. ^[2] A Channel 4 News report aired on Thursday night featuring undercover filming that showed Dan Jukes suggesting a way to secure a foreign donation of £500,000 for Reform UK. ^[3] Reform UK has denied any wrongdoing and stated it had been the target of a hoax perpetuated by foreign funded climate change activists. ^[4] The undercover filming suggested that a foreign national's son could act as a permissible donor on his father's behalf to secure the £500,000 donation. ^[5] Policy chief James Orr appeared in separate footage discussing getting a U.S. donor to pay for opinion polls commissioned by Reform UK, stating, 'we just don't have British-resident donors, British entities, that would support us.' ^[6] The 'son' in the footage was actually a reporter from the investigative group Verbatim, and the 'father' was an actor. ^[7] U.K. electoral law states that political parties can only accept donations from British voters or U.K.-registered businesses. ^[8]

What this stands on

Reform UK announced that senior aide Dan Jukes and head of policy James Orr have stepped down pending the outcome of an internal investigation into claims about party funding. · BBC News

Reform UK suspended advisers Dan Jukes and policy chief James Orr pending an internal investigation after they were filmed discussing accepting funds from a foreign donor. · Winnipeg Free Press

A Channel 4 News report aired on Thursday night featuring undercover filming that showed Dan Jukes suggesting a way to secure a foreign donation of £500,000 for Reform UK. · BBC News

Reform UK has denied any wrongdoing and stated it had been the target of a hoax perpetuated by foreign funded climate change activists. · BBC News

The undercover filming suggested that a foreign national's son could act as a permissible donor on his father's behalf to secure the £500,000 donation. · BBC News

Policy chief James Orr appeared in separate footage discussing getting a U.S. donor to pay for opinion polls commissioned by Reform UK, stating, 'we just don't have British-resident donors, British entities, that would support us.' · Winnipeg Free Press

The 'son' in the footage was actually a reporter from the investigative group Verbatim, and the 'father' was an actor. · Winnipeg Free Press

U.K. electoral law states that political parties can only accept donations from British voters or U.K.-registered businesses. · Winnipeg Free Press

We could not place any of them by their address. None is an official body: that part stands on reporting, not on the underlying document or transcript.

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