Reform UK officials step down as new funding scandal hits far-right party

What the report says

Two senior Reform UK figures, James Orr and Dan Jukes, have stepped down after an undercover Channel 4 News investigation raised fresh questions about how the far-right party handles donations and campaign spending. Al Jazeera reported on 4 September 2026 that the documentary alleged Reform arranged for polling to be paid for by an overseas company, potentially breaching UK political funding rules.

According to the report, Jukes was shown in the film discussing ways to get around electoral law, while party leader Nigel Farage appeared in the same setting and said the party’s finances were “above board.” Farage later denied wrongdoing in a radio interview, saying Reform had broken no laws, though he acknowledged the exchanges did not look good. Reform said it would investigate the allegations.

The resignations came just before the party’s annual conference and amid broader scrutiny of Reform’s finances. The article says the party has faced repeated controversy in recent months, including questions over donations linked to cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne, who is reported to have given Farage a personal gift and made large donations to Reform. Those matters are still under criminal and parliamentary review.

Al Jazeera also noted that the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats had reported Reform to police, and that the Metropolitan Police said it was aware of the media coverage. The developments matter because they add to pressure on Reform UK as it tries to present itself as a major challenger in British politics.