Met detectives are investigating alleged donation offences linked to Reform UK payments

Police are investigating at least £500,000 in donations made to Reform UK before the 2024 general election, according to reports.

The Reform donations probe reportedly centres on Fiona Cottrell, the mother of George Cottrell, a long-standing ally of Nigel Farage who was convicted of fraud in the United States. The Times reported that the Metropolitan Police have spent more than a year examining possible offences linked to the evasion of restrictions on political donations.

The inquiry is said to concern two payments of £250,000 made by Fiona Cottrell to Reform before polling day. Electoral Commission records show one donation appeared in the party’s accounts on 9 May 2024, while the second appeared on 29 May, just over a month before voters went to the polls.

The Reform donations probe does not mean any offence has been proven. Reform sources say no party officials have been interviewed by police, and the Metropolitan Police said no arrests have been made.

A Met spokeswoman said an investigation was launched in February 2025 after the Electoral Commission referred donations made to a political party ahead of the 2024 UK general election. Detectives from the Met’s Special Enquiry Team are investigating alleged offences under Section 61 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.

The force said early investigative advice had been sought from the Crown Prosecution Service. Two people have so far been interviewed under caution.

The Reform donations probe comes during a wider period of scrutiny around Farage and his political finances. The Sunday Times reported at the weekend that George Cottrell had provided support to Farage before the 2024 election, including paying for staff who worked on security and social media content. Those alleged benefits were not declared after Farage became an MP.

George Cottrell pleaded guilty to fraud in the US and spent eight months in jail before his release in 2017. Lawyers for him said he categorically disputes allegations and assertions made by the Sunday Times about financial help for Farage. Farage has denied any wrongdoing.

The latest reports focus on whether donations may have been concealed, disguised or recorded using false information about the donor, the amount or the source of the money. The BBC said the Electoral Commission told it the Met had issued a statement on an ongoing police investigation and that it had no further comment.

The Reform donations probe also raises fresh questions because of the timing. The payments were made before the last general election, when Farage was elected to the Commons for the first time. Reform UK was trying to turn national attention into votes, and the party’s finances have since become a political flashpoint.

Police have not named Fiona Cottrell as a suspect in their statement, but the Times reported that she is at the centre of the inquiry. The BBC said it had tried to contact her for comment.

For Reform, the Reform donations probe lands at an already difficult moment. Farage has faced pressure over separate questions about financial support from allies and donors, while opponents have demanded more transparency.

The police investigation may take time to resolve. For now, the central facts remain limited but serious: the Met is investigating alleged donation offences, two people have been interviewed under caution, no arrests have been made, and Reform sources say party officials have not been questioned.

Until investigators finish their work, the Reform donations probe will keep pressure on the party and deepen questions over money, influence and political accountability.