Reform UK's chronicles

[1andrew1]

So, where are we now?

Nigel Farage
If Farage wins the upcoming Clacton by-election, he will face the existing inquiry into the £5 million gift from Christopher Harborne, and a new one into undisclosed benefits from convicted fraudster George Cottrell, aka Posh George. The latter, by the way, is trying to get Trump to pardon his conviction.

If Farage is sanctioned for failing to declare the gifts, a second by-election could be triggered if the investigation concludes with a suspension of more than 10 days and a recall petition in Clacton achieves support from 10% or more of the voters.

Reform UK
Reform itself is also under investigation by the Metropolitan Police over £1m donations it has received and whether the ultimate donor was eligible to make them. The £1m from Fiona Cottrell (mother of Posh George) was routed with two separate payments of £250k made directly on 9 and 29 May 2024 and two separate payments of £250k made via Tice's company Britain Means Business on 10 and 12 June 2024.

The latest Sunday Times report
This new report is about Farage's defence of the £5m personal gift from Christopher Harborne. Farage's defence now looks a lot weaker as his political activities in 2024 have been found to go back months earlier than he claimed.

Nigel Farage struck Reform comeback deal long before election

Supervised by the convicted fraudster George Cottrell, the agreement undermines Farage’s claim about when he decided to return to politics

Nigel Farage struck a secret deal to return as leader of Reform UK months before the general election.

Farage negotiated the pact with Richard Tice, then the leader, in March and April 2024. George Cottrell, the convicted fraudster who had been secretly bankrolling Farage, supervised the discussions.

Under the terms of the deal, once Farage became leader Reform would repay or write off more than £1 million in outstanding loans it had received from Tice’s company.

The deal was first presented by Farage and Cottrell to the party’s treasurer in mid-May. Its existence undermines the Reform leader’s claim that he had no intention until June 2024 of returning to politics. Farage has used this to defend his failure to declare *donations made to him in the year before he was elected as an MP, which triggered two parliamentary investigations.

Farage has claimed repeatedly that he did not need to declare a £5  million gift from the crypto*billionaire Christopher Harborne or in-kind benefits from Cottrell, as he was a media personality at the time. MPs must declare any benefit in any way connected to their “political activities” received in the 12 months before their election.

He told the Triggernometry podcast last month: “At that period of my life, from 2021 to the third of June 2024, I was a broadcaster, I was someone that appeared on celebrity TV *programmes, I was somebody that promoted some financial market products, but I was an influencer, I wasn’t in politics.”

https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics...rell-5gfrcrmb0

[Dingbat]

And now Rupert Lowe is reported as proposing a merger between Reform and Restore, provided Reform dump the ex-Tories and start mass deportations.

https://spectator.com/article/watch-...e-with-farage/

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

So, where are we now?

Nigel Farage
If Farage wins the upcoming Clacton by-election, he will face the existing inquiry into the £5 million gift from Christopher Harborne, and a new one into undisclosed benefits from convicted fraudster George Cottrell, aka Posh George. The latter, by the way, is trying to get Trump to pardon his conviction.

If Farage is sanctioned for failing to declare the gifts, a second by-election could be triggered if the investigation concludes with a suspension of more than 10 days and a recall petition in Clacton achieves support from 10% or more of the voters.

Reform UK
Reform itself is also under investigation by the Metropolitan Police over £1m donations it has received and whether the ultimate donor was eligible to make them. The £1m from Fiona Cottrell (mother of Posh George) was routed with two separate payments of £250k made directly on 9 and 29 May 2024 and two separate payments of £250k made via Tice's company Britain Means Business on 10 and 12 June 2024.

The latest Sunday Times report
This new report is about Farage's defence of the £5m personal gift from Christopher Harborne. Farage's defence now looks a lot weaker as his political activities in 2024 have been found to go back months earlier than he claimed.


https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics...rell-5gfrcrmb0

Farage did not have to declare the £5m because it was an unconditional gift. The same would apply if he was an MP at the time, so some are getting the wrong end of the stick, it seems.

---------- Post added at 19:22 ---------- Previous post was at 19:21 ----------

Originally Posted by Dingbat

And now Rupert Lowe is reported as proposing a merger between Reform and Restore, provided Reform dump the ex-Tories and start mass deportations.

https://spectator.com/article/watch-...e-with-farage/

Farage won’t take him back. Lowe is more trouble than he’s worth.

[TheDaddy]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

Farage did not have to declare the £5m because it was an unconditional gift. The same would apply if he was an MP at the time, so some are getting the wrong end of the stick, it seems.

If you think conditions weren't attached you'll fall for anything....

[GrimUpNorth]

Originally Posted by TheDaddy

If you think conditions weren't attached you'll fall for anything....

I think you're being very polite with that reply. I thought bullshit would be a more appropriate response.

[jem]

Originally Posted by TheDaddy

If you think conditions weren't attached you'll fall for anything....

There is no such thing as an unconditional gift - well unless it’s to your significant other or immediate family member. So unless ‘r Nigel is/was in some kind of intimate relationship with Harborne or Cottrell, it stinks doesn’t it?

[newapollo]

XTC could have written this for Nigel

We're only making plans for Nigel
We only want what's best for him
We're only making plans for Nigel
Nigel just needs that helping hand

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-X3Wy-svIY

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

Farage did not have to declare the £5m because it was an unconditional gift. The same would apply if he was an MP at the time, so some are getting the wrong end of the stick, it seems.

'Any interest or benefit that might be reasonably considered to influence the MP'

I think this is the issue. Do you surely think that the public don't consider that a £5m gift would influence someone? MPs are asked to consider how the general public would view it, and if there is any doubt, to declare it.

Furthermore, the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner is investigating the £5m gift. If the matter was as clear cut as you perceive it to be, it would not be investigated.

You've also not commented on the other benefits from Posh George which Farage failed to disclose.

---------- Post added at 22:33 ---------- Previous post was at 22:27 ----------

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

Farage won’t take him back. Lowe is more trouble than he’s worth.

I think Lowe's talking of a pact on his terms, not a return to Reform UK.

It just looks like a publicity stunt to me. If Lowe was serious, he would negotiate behind the scenes and not by releasing a public video.