Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has brushed aside concerns over remarks made by senior party figures about accepting foreign donations through intermediaries, describing their conduct as “loose pub talk”.

The party has endured a bruising 24 hours after a Channel 4 investigation filmed Farage’s chief of staff, Dan Jukes, and Reform’s head of policy, Dr James Orr, apparently agreeing to accept a donation from a foreign benefactor via a middle man — an arrangement that could breach electoral law. Under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, UK-registered parties may only accept donations over £500 from permissible donors — mainly registered UK voters or UK-based companies — and channeling foreign money through an intermediary to disguise its origin would be unlawful.

Addressing a press conference, Farage said the comments made by Jukes and Orr were “injudicious at best”. Both men have been suspended from the party pending an investigation. Farage said neither was part of the fundraising team, and he insisted that claims they made — which were bleeped out of the broadcast — about existing donations were “not true”.

“Whilst I’m aware that our people were pushed and sort of provoked into saying these things, the comments were injudicious at best,” Farage said.

“Neither of these members were authorised to act in that way, accordingly, they’ve stepped down pending an investigation. I emphasise again, no one’s broken any law, and we take compliance around donations very, very seriously.

He added: “What is more problematic is loose pub talk, including a couple of boasts that simply were not true.”

Farage was also filmed in the sting operation by undercover journalists saying that some payments to JL Partners for party polling represented “bang for buck”. Farage said the polls were not commissioned by Reform.

He told the press conference that, in the video, he had asked whether everything was “above board” in dealings with prospective donors. The donation discussed in the Channel 4 investigation was never made.

Industry cools on Farage

Industry representatives told City AM on Friday that the investigation was damaging for business relations and could reinforce perceptions of mixed messaging on policy and political priorities. The episode comes as Reform has courted business support, with Farage positioning the party as a plausible contender for power in UK politics, making corporate confidence in its governance and compliance arrangements a live concern.

The Reform leader appeared at the press conference alongside Jordan Bardella, president of France’s rightwing National Rally party. The two signed a pact to “stop the boats forever” if both were elected into office. Bardella is tipped to become prime minister in France if Marine Le Pen wins the 2027 presidential election, after she was told she was allowed to run for office.

Farage’s defence came just hours after the party announced that two of its most senior officials had stepped down following the Channel 4 news story. Jukes and Orr were influential figures within Reform, with Orr leading a fresh team established in the last month.

A Reform spokesman said in a statement: “Reform UK has launched an investigation following the broadcast of a Channel 4 News programme.

“Both individuals involved have stepped down from their respective positions pending the outcome of the investigation.

“The party believes it is important that the investigation is allowed to proceed independently and without prejudice. No further comment will be made while the investigation is ongoing.”

The investigation into Jukes and Orr has intensified scrutiny of Farage’s financial dealings and the party’s donations. Farage still faces a parliamentary investigation into the terms of a £5m donation from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne made before the 2024 election.

A spokesman said the party had not broken the law or “taken dodgy money”, and that the party had “nothing to do” with a poll showing Reform beating Labour on various key issues.

Opposition party figures wrote to the Metropolitan Police to report the potential breach. The outcome of the Met’s assessment, alongside the party’s internal investigation and the parliamentary probe, will determine whether the controversy escalates into formal legal jeopardy for the party.

The Met Police said in a statement: “We’re aware of media reporting on Thursday, 3 September involving political party donations and an alleged breach of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 relating to polling.

“We will assess this matter and any information provided to us.”