Reform advisor expects ‘harsh verdict’ for Farage following probe into £5m gift

A Reform UK advisor expects party leader Nigel Farage to receive a ‘harsh verdict’ following a parliamentary probe into his failure to declare a £5million gift he received from a crypto-billionaire.

The gift from Christopher Harborne was first revealed in April, with Farage claiming that he did not have to declare the gift as it was ‘private’ rather than ‘political’.

However, guidance to MPs states that any “material benefit” that might “reasonably be thought” to potentially influence a member’s behaviour in parliament should be declared if received in the 12 months prior to being elected.

Farage has changed the reason he was given the £5million, first saying that it was given to him for his work on Brexit, but later saying it was for his personal security.

An investigation into the gift was launched by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards six months ago in May, with a Reform UK advisor telling the FT that ‘the expectation is a harsh verdict but as to timing, that appears in the lap of the gods’.

If it is found a ‘serious breach’ occurred, the case will be referred to the Committee on Standards.

The Committee on Standards could then sanction him by suspending him from the House for 10 sitting days or more, resulting in a re-call petition and potential by-election over the failure to declare a £5million gift.