Watch: The Reform UK leader says he "frankly wasn’t even listening" during a conversation about foreign money being donated to his party
Nigel Farage has said he "frankly wasn't listening" during a conversation with his former chief of staff and an undercover reporter discussing what appears to have been a scheme to funnel foreign money to Reform UK.
His former chief of staff Dan Jukes and ex-head of policy James Orr have both been removed from their jobs after an investigation recorded them talking about how to get money to the party from an American donor and asking a fake company to pay for polling.
Jukes has denied doing anything wrong. Orr has told Sky News he will co-operate fully with Reform's internal investigation.
In an interview with the BBC, the Reform leader said he was not listening to the discussion and revealed his family are "begging" him to leave his job amid increasing pressure.
In a film by Verbatim Investigations and Channel 4 News, Farage and Jukes were present during a conversation in which it is suggested the US donor gives £500,000 to Reform through his UK-based son.
Under electoral law, donors to UK political parties must be a UK registered voter, or a company registered in the UK, so cannot give money from abroad through a British resident.
The proposed donation was never made as it was part of an undercover sting, but that it was seemingly entertained has sparked questions.
When asked about the exchange by reporters at Reform's party conference on Friday, Farage said he was questioning whether the arrangement was above board.
In an interview to be broadcast on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, he has now said: "I am not a compliance officer. I was in the middle of canvassing in the Clacton by-election. I turn up. I frankly wasn't even listening."
"I was told there was a global family office based in London, so the money could have come from Singapore," he said of the conversation in the Channel 4 film.
Undercover reporters posing as party donors met with Nigel Farage and his former chief of staff Dan Jukes (left)
"The money could come from all over the world, you know. Income could have came from all over the world into a family office based in London. I know electoral law. I know donation law better than anybody.
"Frankly, the two individuals involved here have never been involved in fundraising before and they shouldn't have been involved directly in fundraising. They should have done basic checks and nobody, nobody should be brought to me, unless they've been vetted from."
The row over the Channel 4 film has threatened to capsize Reform's conference, with Labour and the Liberal Democrats calling on the Metropolitan Police to investigate the claims. The force is assessing whether or not to investigate.
