Nigel Farage set to be interviewed by the parliamentary standards commissioner over £5 million gift

Nigel Farage is due to be interviewed by the parliamentary standards watchdog in the coming weeks over the undeclared £5 million gift he received from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne.

According to the Times, Farage will be interviewed by the parliamentary standards commissioner Daniel Greenberg before summer recess begins on 17 July. 

The Reform UK leader is already understood to have provided Greenberg with a copy of a contract he drew up with Harborne in 2024 stating that the £5 million was a gift.

Parliamentary rules state that new MPs must register any gifts worth more than £300 that they received in the previous 12 months, except where the gift “could not be reasonably thought by others” to relate to their political activities.

Farage initially said that the £5 million gift was to pay for his security. He later said that the money was a reward for campaigning for Brexit.

If Greenberg finds that Farage has breached parliamentary rules, he could face sanctions, including a suspension from the House of Commons. If a suspension lasts for more than 10 days, this can trigger a recall petition and lead to a by-election.  

While Greenberg carries out a probe into Farage’s donation from Harborne, it has emerged that he also received undeclared benefits in kind from convicted fraudster George Cottrell.

Cottrell recruited and paid three members of staff to work on the Reform leader’s social media and for security before Farage became an MP.

The Liberal Democrats have asked the parliamentary watchdog to look into the funding Farage received from Cottrell.

Labour has written to the Electoral Commission asking them to do a probe into the financial support Cottrell provided.

Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward