Police launch criminal investigation into Reform UK for donations row

A criminal investigation is underway in Britain into allegations that the Reform UK party broke the law in relation to foreign funding, according to media reports Wednesday.

The investigation by the Metropolitan Police Special Enquiry Team is being folded into an inquiry that has been underway into other donations to the party, the BBC reported.

It came after a broadcast by Channel 4 News and Verbatim Investigations last week showing an undercover reporter recording two senior Reform aides apparently suggesting a way around electoral law to secure foreign party donations.

A Reform UK spokesman said the party "denies any wrongdoing and will fully cooperate with the investigation," in response to the investigation. "We won't be commenting further while a live investigation is under way."

The Metropolitan Police said the investigation was launched after it received "a number of reports relating to donations and polling involving a political party."

Police said that "All allegations under investigation relate to potential offences under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000."

The spokesperson added that detectives were seeking to obtain footage relating to the broadcast.

The two key figures in Reform UK, Dan Jukes, chief of staff to leader Nigel Farage, and James Orr, head of policy, have resigned amid the row.

Jukes has denied "any wrongdoing" and said he "stepped back from politics in order to clear” his name.