Labour calls for investigation into Reform UK’s Richard Tice over donation allegations
Labour is urging Parliament’s sleaze watchdog to investigate Reform UK’s Richard Tice amid allegations concerning an unregistered donation to the party, reports BritPanorama.
Labour chair Bridget Phillipson has sent a letter to Daniel Greenberg, Parliament’s commissioner for standards, requesting a probe into “a possible failure… to register a financial or material benefit within the period required” under strict House of Commons rules.
In her correspondence, Ms Phillipson cites reports indicating that Fiona Cottrell, the mother of Nigel Farage’s associate George Cottrell, transferred over £1 million to Britain Means Business Ltd, owned by Mr Tice, following a $1.4 million payment from her son.
On the same day, Britain Means Business donated £500,000 to Reform UK, while Reform subsequently repaid £200,000 to Tisun Investments Ltd, another company ultimately controlled by Mr Tice.
“The central question is whether Mr Tice received a registrable financial or material benefit that should have been entered in his Register of Members’ Financial Interests, and whether the source of that benefit was properly disclosed,” Ms Phillipson said.
Simultaneously, Reform UK has been reported to the police over allegations of breaching political donation rules by using polling financed by an overseas company.
Mr Greenberg is currently examining claims that Mr Farage failed to register a £5 million “gift” from a cryptobillionaire.
Ms Phillipson’s letter further posits that if any funds provided by Fiona Cottrell were used to convert Reform’s debt to Tisun into donations, a serious question arises regarding whether Mr Tice or any entity he controls received a registrable benefit tied to political activities.
At a minimum, Labour asserts that Mr Tice’s register of MPs interests should clarify the source, intermediary, and practical implications of the transaction.
Mr Greenberg is also investigating the £5 million donation, which Mr Farage contends did not require declaration as it was a personal gift from Mr Harborne.
Last month, the Reform UK leader initiated a by-election, asserting it was necessary to let voters in his constituency address the matter. However, if the investigation yields negative findings, he could still face another by-election and the risk of removal from Parliament.
Mr Tice remarked to The Independent that Labour’s call is “more twaddle by a desperate Bridget Phillipson, who has herself just breached the rules by publicising her complaint. I am confident that the rules have been fully complied with.”
Reform UK’s representatives and Mr Greenberg have been contacted for further comment.
As inquiries proceed, the implications for Reform UK and its leadership grow increasingly significant, raising pertinent questions about electoral integrity and compliance with established standards.
