Blimey. A beleaguered Nigel Farage would’ve been hoping for a few weeks of smooth sailing. Recent scandals regarding the funding he and the Reform Party have received from billionaire donors are creating storm clouds. Now, a new exposé from The Times threatens to compound their misery.
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Who is George Cottrell?
A painstaking investigation from the publication’s new ‘Insights’ podcast reveals that Nigel Farage received a host of gifts and payments from George Cottrell – who has been criminally charged for his involvement with an offshore crypto gambling platform implicated in illegal betting.
According to the report, Christopher Harbone isn’t the only ‘sugar daddy’ bankrolling the arch Brexiteer. The Thai crypto billionaire, who gave a £5 million gift to Nigel just weeks before he declared his candidacy as the MP for Clacton, was thought to be his main benefactor.
However, these latest findings appear to peel back another layer of secrecy behind the money associated with Mr. Farage and his party. Cottrell is understood to have been funding the 61-year-old’s operations in the year before his successful election into the halls of Westminster.
Has Nigel Farage broke Parliamentary rules – possibly for a second time?
The timing could prove to be a major, yet familiar issue for Farage. As with the donation from Harborne, it seems that the right-wing politician has failed to declare a number of sweeteners from Cottrell. These include the provision of staff, transport, and accommodation.
Interestingly enough, the investigative journalists behind this bombshell story state that the convicted wire-fraud merchant also paid security costs for Farage – seemingly echoing the justifications behind Harborne’s £5 million gift.
The revelations are damning for Reform and its leader. However, they issued a statement on Saturday evening, lashing out at the report. They argue that the undeclared donations were made ‘while he was not active in politics’, and further accused The Times of cynically using he story to ‘promote their podcast.
“It comes as no surprise that The Sunday Times has chosen to publish this baseless and contrived story, covering a period of time when Nigel Farage was not even an active politician, let alone an elected one. Contrary to the story’s tone, no parliamentary rules have been broken.” | Reform statement
Nigel Farage lambasted for ‘grifting’
Criticism has been rife across the political spectrum already, with opposition MPs queuing up to stick the boot into Nigel Farage. Labour’s Wes Streeting has claimed the Reform leader is ‘up to his neck in it’, with his colleague Lucy Powell demanding ‘further investigation’.
Perhaps the harshest criticism, however, has come from another right-wing voice. Alicia Kearns, the Conservative MP for Rutland, has straight-up accused Farage of being ‘a grifter’, and wholeheartedly dismissed the Reform defence of their dear leader.
“Nigel Farage claimed Harborne’s £5 million was to pay for his security. But Mr. Cottrell was paying for his security already – and much more. On Day one, you are told to disclose all and any financial donations over £300 from the year leading up to your election. Ultimately, Farage is a grifter.” | Alicia Kearns