LONDON, May 13 (Reuters) – Reform UK said it was talking to Britain’s parliamentary watchdog after a report its leader Nigel Farage was being investigated over a breach of the rules for accepting a 5 million pound ($6.75 million) gift which he did not declare.
Reform, a right-wing party which was the biggest winner in local elections earlier in May, said on Wednesday its office was communicating with the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards on the matter, but that no rules had been broken.
“He (Farage) has always been clear that this was a personal, unconditional gift and no rules were broken,” a spokesman for the party said.
Rival political parties in April accused Farage of breaking the rules by failing to declare the donation. Under parliamentary rules, members of parliament need to declare any donations received in the year preceding an election within one month of taking office.
Farage has previously said the donation from crypto investor Christopher Harborne was to pay for his personal security before he announced his candidacy in the 2024 national election, and therefore it did not constitute a political donation.
The Parliamentary Standards Commissioner’s Office did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Reform has topped national opinion polls since early last year, prompting increased scrutiny of the party’s sources of funding.
($1 = 0.7406 pounds)
(Reporting by Muvija M, writing by Sarah Young, editing by William James and Kate Holton)
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