The Reform UK leader Nigel Farage’s campaign has been accused of falsely reporting election expenses during his eighth bid to become an MP in Clacton at the 2024 General Election
Nigel Farage’s election campaign has reportedly been referred to police after an ex-aide alleged Reform UK had breached spending rules.
The Reform UK leader’s campaign has been accused of falsely reporting election expenses during his bid to become an MP in Clacton at the 2024 General Election. Mr Farage, who had previously failed seven times to become an MP, won the seat last year.
But ex-Reform UK councillor and member of the campaign team, Richard Everett, is said to have submitted documents to the Metropolitan Police showing the party spent more than the £20,660 limit in the Essex constituency.
According to the Daily Telegraph, Mr Everett claims Reform failed to declare spending on leaflets, banners, utility bills and the refurbishment of a bar in its Clacton campaign office.
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He alleges that the party’s official returns report that it came just £400 under the spending limit set by electoral law, and the undeclared spending would have put it above the cap. But he also said he thought Mr Farage himself had been “blissfully unaware”.
Reform strongly denied breaking the law on election spending, and accused Mr Everett of being a “disgruntled former councillor” who was expelled from the party “several months ago”.
Labour Party chairwoman Anna Turley said: ” Nigel Farage needs to urgently answer serious questions about whether he broke the law and misled the public when standing for election to Parliament. Our parliamentary democracy relies on people playing by the rules so all candidates have a fair hearing with the public.
“Nigel Farage must come clean and put all the evidence on the table to prove he hasn’t undermined our democracy by breaking the rules. Failure to do so will raise even more questions about what he has to hide.”
Tory chairman Kevin Hollinrake called on the police and the Electoral Commission to investigate Mr Everett’s claims. He said: “We all have an obligation to play by the rules to ensure that our elections are free and fair.”
A Reform UK spokesman told The Mirror : “These inaccurate claims come from a disgruntled former councillor… the party denies breaking electoral law. We look forward to clearing our name.” The Mirror has contacted the Metropolitan Police for comment.