Met Police investigate political donation to Robert Jenrick’s campaign
The Metropolitan Police have launched an investigation into a political donation of almost £40,000 made to Robert Jenrick’s campaign for the Conservative Party leadership, reports BritPanorama.
Jenrick, the MP for Newark, who unsuccessfully sought to succeed Rishi Sunak as Tory leader in 2024, has subsequently joined Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party, where he now serves as Treasury spokesman.
The investigation into the origins of the donation follows a referral from the Electoral Commission, according to The i Paper.
The funds in question are part of a £100,000 donation from British entrepreneur Phillip Ullmann, made via a company called Spott Fitness to Jenrick’s leadership campaign.
Allegations have arisen that £37,500 of this amount ultimately came from a foreign source – US businessman Gary Klopfenstein – potentially breaching UK electoral rules. Reports indicate that Ullmann and Klopfenstein are currently in a legal dispute.
The Metropolitan Police did not specify the individuals being investigated. A spokesperson stated: “We have launched an investigation following a referral from the Electoral Commission on Tuesday, 6 January concerning donations connected to a political party’s leadership campaign. The investigation remains ongoing.”
An Electoral Commission spokesperson added: “We have been investigating donations connected to a 2024 leadership campaign. Evidence of potential offences outside our remit was referred to the Metropolitan Police Service on 6 January 2026. Our investigation is paused pending their investigation into this matter.”
Jenrick has categorically rejected the allegations against him. “It is no surprise that an establishment determined to stop Reform would resort to making these demonstrably untrue claims,” he stated. “These allegations are entirely false.”
He further commented, “I have had no contact with the Met Police whatsoever in connection with this matter.”
A spokesman for the Reform UK MP dismissed the suggestion that Jenrick knowingly accepted impermissible donations as an “untrue, politically motivated smear.” He stated, “Mr Ullmann was introduced to Robert by a Tory MP and had his donations’ permissibility checked by the party. Robert and his campaign team complied with all electoral laws when receiving the donation from Spott Fitness Ltd in 2024.”
The spokesperson also claimed that Jenrick had never met or communicated with Klopfenstein and was unaware of any connection between him and Ullmann’s donation until contacted by the Electoral Commission. They emphasized that Jenrick fully cooperated with the inquiry, providing detailed records that disproved the allegations in 2025.
The implications of this investigation highlight ongoing scrutiny surrounding political financing in the UK, raising questions about compliance with electoral laws and the transparency of political donations.
