Nigel Farage’s party suspends top officials after undercover sting makes foreign funding claims

Nigel Farage’s party suspends top officials after undercover sting makes foreign funding claims 1 of 3 | Reform party leader Nigel Farage speaks to the media during the Reform party’s annual conference at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, England, Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Thomas Krych) 2 of 3 | A member carrys a hat during the Reform party’s annual conference at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, England, Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Thomas Krych) 3 of 3 | A member wears shoes in Union Flag colours during the Reform party’s annual conference at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, England, Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Thomas Krych) 1 of 3 | Reform party leader Nigel Farage speaks to the media during the Reform party’s annual conference at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, England, Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Thomas Krych) 1 of 3 Reform party leader Nigel Farage speaks to the media during the Reform party’s annual conference at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, England, Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Thomas Krych) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 2 of 3 | A member carrys a hat during the Reform party’s annual conference at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, England, Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Thomas Krych) 2 of 3 A member carrys a hat during the Reform party’s annual conference at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, England, Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Thomas Krych) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 3 of 3 | A member wears shoes in Union Flag colours during the Reform party’s annual conference at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, England, Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Thomas Krych) 3 of 3 A member wears shoes in Union Flag colours during the Reform party’s annual conference at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, England, Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Thomas Krych) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] London (AP) — anti-immigration party Reform UK suspended two senior officials on Friday after they were filmed appearing to discuss accepting funds from a foreign donor in potential breach of British electoral law.The party said Dan Jukes, an adviser to leader Nigel Farage, and policy chief James Orr “have stepped down from their respective positions” pending the outcome of an internal investigation.On Thursday, broadcaster Channel 4 aired footage of Jukes, at a lunch with Farage, discussing a plan to channel a 500,000 pound ($675,000) donation from a U.S. financier through his U.K.-based son. The “son” was actually a reporter from investigative group Verbatim, and the “father” an actor.In separate footage Orr, a Cambridge University theologian, appears to discuss getting the U.S. donor to pay for opinion polls commissioned by Reform UK. Orr tells the undercover reporter that “we just don’t have British-resident donors, British entities, that would support us.” U.K. electoral law says parties can only accept donations from British voters or U.K.-registered businesses.The allegations overshadowed Reform’s annual conference, being held Friday and Saturday in Birmingham, central England.Farage insisted the party had not broken any rules or accepted “dodgy money” and accused the journalists of “entrapment” by what he called foreign-funded climate activists. Verbatim is an offshoot of the Centre for Climate Reporting, a nonprofit investigative group that says it is funded by grants and donations.