Met Police investigating Nigel Farage for 'electoral fraud'

Met Police investigating Nigel Farage for 'electoral fraud'

Nigel Farage has been reported to the police by a former member of his campaign team over claims of falsifying election expenses.

Richard Everett, a former Reform councillor, submitted documents to the Metropolitan Police that he claims show an overspend, and has accused Farage of falsely reporting local campaign expenses in Clacton as national party spending, which would amount to a breach of electoral law.

Reform UK’s spending return came within £400 of the legal spending limit of £20,660, but Mr Everett claims that figure has not counted costs including marketing materials, undeclared electricity and broadband bills, and decorating a bar in the Clacton campaign office in the Reform UK colours.

Mr Everett told The Telegraph that he believes the party exceeded the spending limit by around £9,000, with Farage “blissfully unaware” of the omissions Mr Everett also claims that Reform UK did not declare the loan of an armoured Land Rover in which Farage appeared during a campaign rally on July 3 2024, as a donation.

Farage and his election agent, Peter Harris, who has been selected as the party’s candidate in the Essex mayoral elections, could be found personally liable for a breach of electoral law if these claims are found to be true.

Mr Everett, a councillor, defected from the Conservatives to Reform at the same time as Mr Harris last year, and served as a sub-agent on the general election campaign, where he monitored election expenses and escorted Farage around the constituency.

Reform sources said that Mr Harris and Mr Everett were no longer friends because Mr Harris reported Mr Everett to the party for alleged sexual misconduct in August.

Mr Everett denies the claims.

Mr Everett alleges that Reform’s campaign did not report the cost of some leaflets which featured Farage’s face, the name of local wards and a list of the party’s policies.

Under electoral law, National

Under electoral law, campaign spending is divided into spending by individual candidates and by a national party.

National parties can spend more and buy materials that are used locally, but they may not directly promote a candidate with a photo or the name of a particular area.

“Because of my experience as an agent, I’ve done many of these returns myself, so I know what is meant to be on them,” Mr Everett told The Telegraph.

“In this particular case, there was a spending limit of £20,660.72.

So that’s the amount you’re allowed to spend on the election.

In this return that Peter Harris has produced, he says that we spent £20,299.80.

“I do not think that that is an accurate figure.

In fact, I think the £20,660 was exceeded, and the reason why I think that is because of a number of items that were either missing on the return or wrong on the return.” A Reform UK spokesman said: “These inaccurate claims come from a disgruntled former councillor.

The party was disgusted by his inappropriate sexual behaviour with women, and he was expelled several months ago.

“The party denies We

“The party denies breaking electoral law.

We look forward to clearing our name.”