Reform UK conference hit by donation allegations as Farage denies wrongdoing

Reform UK's annual conference in Birmingham has been overshadowed by fresh questions over the party's funding, after an undercover investigation by Channel 4 News appeared to show senior officials discussing how to bypass electoral laws on political donations. Two of Nigel Farage's closest aides, Dan Jukes and James Orr, have stepped down pending an internal investigation. Farage dismissed the footage as 'loose pub talk' and insisted the party had broken no laws, but conceded that 'we absolutely must do better' as the party professionalises.

The controversy comes on top of an ongoing investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards into Farage's failure to declare a £5m gift from British billionaire Christopher Harborne in the months before he became an MP. Farage has defended his actions, saying he took strong legal advice and that the gift was purely personal. He told the BBC he believed the establishment was fighting back against Reform in a coordinated way, describing the UK as a 'complainant society'.

Despite the distractions, the conference pressed ahead with policy announcements. Robert Jenrick, the party's Treasury spokesperson, pledged to raise the personal tax-free allowance to £15,000, a policy he said would save most taxpayers around £500 a year and be paid for by £80bn of spending cuts, including to welfare. Farage also signed a memorandum of understanding with French National Rally leader Jordan Bardella, vowing to work together to stop small boats crossing the Channel if both parties were in government.

The conference was also disrupted by protesters, with Farage's speech delayed on security grounds and interrupted several times. In his closing address, Farage struck a defiant tone, telling members that 'whatever you throw at the leadership, whatever you throw at you, the People's Army, we immediately pick ourselves up, dust ourselves down, and start all over again.'

The party faces a difficult period, with polls showing Labour regaining ground and questions over donations continuing to dog its leader. The Metropolitan Police are also investigating donations Reform received during the last general election campaign. Reform insists it takes compliance extremely seriously, but the repeated controversies have raised doubts about whether the party can sustain its momentum.