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Nigel Farage’s Reform UK is facing a police investigation over allegations the party breached political donation rules by having polling paid for by an overseas company.
Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party called for detectives to investigate the claims which have plunged Reform into its biggest crisis.
The spiralling storm was threatening to overshadow the party’s annual conference in Birmingham.
As Reform chiefs sought to get a grip on the situation, two top officials – Mr Farage’s press chief Dan Jukes and head of policy James Orr – stepped down from their roles pending the outcome of an investigation by the party into the broadcast by Channel 4 News alleging it breached political donation rules.
Party chairman Lee Anderson told Times Radio: “The two people involved-they've gone. They've left the building. That's the right thing to do.
He added: “I'm confident that we've not broken any laws at all.”
Mr Farage’s party took funding from a US firm for three polls it commissioned earlier this year costing £32,500, Channel 4 News reported on Thursday night.
The purported donors were actually undercover reporters from investigative group Verbatim posing as an American financier and his UK-based son.
Foreign companies are not allowed to provide funding for UK parties, including for payments for studies and research, under electoral law.
The polls, by JL Partners, were covered in national newspapers but journalists were not told that they had been funded by foreign donors acting on behalf of Reform.
A Met Police spokesman said: "We’re aware of media reporting 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.”
The revelations by Channel 4 and Verbatim come amid ongoing scrutiny of the funding of both Mr Farage and his party.
