Britain's populist Reform UK party is under scrutiny following an undercover investigation by Channel 4 News, which alleged that two senior figures, Dan Jukes and James Orr, arranged for a U.S. company to pay over £30,000 for three opinion polls commissioned by the party. This arrangement could violate British electoral laws regarding foreign donations.
The investigation, broadcast as Reform's annual conference began, detailed how the purported donors were undercover reporters from Verbatim Investigations posing as an American financier and his UK-based son. Channel 4 News reported that James Orr suggested the undercover reporter's father could pay for polling, with one poll costing £18,000 plus VAT, and that the polling company could send the bill directly to the reporter. In total, three polls costing £32,500 were commissioned, and the public was not informed about who funded them.
Reform UK has denied any wrongdoing, claiming it was the victim of a hoax by climate activists. However, both Jukes and Orr have temporarily stepped down from their roles pending an internal investigation. The Labour Party and Liberal Democrats have urged a police investigation into possible criminal offenses, with the Metropolitan Police confirming they are assessing the matter.
Electoral law dictates that permissible donors to UK political parties must be registered UK voters or UK-registered companies. Accepting foreign funding for political activities, including polling, or failing to disclose such funding, would be illegal. An Electoral Commission spokesperson highlighted that parties must report permissible donations over £11,180 and impermissible donations over £500, with attempts to evade these controls being a matter for the police.
