Nigel Farage has been urged to investigate potential pro-Russia links in Reform UK after its former leader in Wales was sentenced to over 10 years in prison for accepting bribes.
Last week, Nathan Gill was taken in after admitting to taking bribes to make statements in favour of Russia while a Member of the European Parliament for UKIP and later the Brexit Party, when both were led by Nigel Farage.
Labour has now called for a “forensic” investigation into his party to ensure that any remaining pro-Russia links are fully eliminated.
Armed forces minister Al Carns said: “Nigel Farage must urgently initiate an independent investigation into every inch of Reform UK’s party structures, membership, donors, and representatives, to give the public a cast iron guarantee that any remaining pro-Russian links have been removed from his Party. He must leave no stone unturned in this investigation.”
“No patriotic British political party should allow pro-Russian elements to covertly have an influence on our political system or society. It’s as anti-British as you can get.
“It’s time Nigel Farage proved he isn’t happy to parrot Kremlin talking points any longer and demonstrate to the public that Putin has no hold over his party.”
Meanwhile, anti-corruption charity, Spotlight on Corruption, said the case demonstrates that the UK is “a soft target” for foreign interference.
Helen Taylor, Deputy Director of Spotlight on Corruption, said: “Police and prosecutors should be congratulated for securing the first-ever conviction of a UK politician for bribery and in doing so ensuring that Gill faces meaningful accountability for his betrayal of public trust. The stiff sentence handed down by the judge will hopefully prove to be a deterrent for others who might be tempted to abuse their position in public office for personal or political gain.
“As this case and the recent abortive China spy trial demonstrate, the UK is a soft target for foreign influence operations. At a time when there are rock bottom levels of UK public trust in politicians, the government needs to come clean with the public about the level of the threat and set out what it intends to do to protect our democracy from the predations of hostile powers.”
After Gill’s conviction, Farage came out and said he was “stunned” by Gill’s conviction, and claimed he was the “only one” in Reform who “really knew” him.