Nigel Farage resigns and vows to fight by-election after pressure over finances
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage announced he will quit as an MP and fight a by-election after coming under intense pressure over unregistered donations of cash and support.
In a video statement, Clacton MP Mr Farage said: “I have done nothing wrong. I have not broken the law in any way at all.”
He accused the media of harassment and vowed to fight a “people versus the establishment” by-election.
The Reform UK leader has faced calls for an investigation following reports that long-term ally George Cottrell had provided undeclared funding for security and staffing in the year before he was elected.
Mr Cottrell reportedly recruited and paid three staff to work on Mr Farage’s social media before the general election, and has continued to allow him to use a five-storey Georgian property he rented near Buckingham Palace.
Under the Commons’ rules, new MPs are required to register any gifts worth more than £300 they received in the previous 12 months, except where the gift “could not be reasonably thought by others” to relate to their political activities.
Mr Farage is already facing a parliamentary standards investigation over a £5 million gift from Reform donor Christopher Harborne before becoming an MP.
Labour and the Liberal Democrats have called for both the Electoral Commission and the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards to investigate the support from Mr Cottrell.
Mr Farage said standards investigations by the parliamentary authorities are “now being used as a political tool”.
His resignation will mean Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Daniel Greenberg’s investigation into the £5 million donation is suspended – but it will be resumed if Mr Farage wins the by-election and comes back to Parliament.
The Reform UK leader lashed out at the media in his statement following the Sunday Times investigation into his links with Mr Cottrell and a row with Sky News in recent days.
Nigel Farage said he had “never been angrier in my life” as he complained about media treatment of his family.
The Reform UK leader said: “For some reason, last week the editor of the Times newspaper decided to publish a picture of where my daughter lives.
“There is no public interest in my daughter whatsoever.”
He claimed she has had “broadcasters haranguing her”, including Sky News.
The Times published a photo of the house as part of an investigation into Mr Farage’s property empire.
Sky News said it had made “reasonable efforts” to contact Nigel Farage with “legitimate questions to answer”.
“We acknowledge that Sky News was part of a broadcast pool operation outside a property linked to Mr Farage yesterday,” the broadcaster said.
“We approached the property off-camera on a single occasion, identified ourselves, and the occupant chose not to engage.”
Mr Farage said he would not be “judged” by the media: “I’ve decided that the people of Clacton should be the judges of my actions.
“This will be a people versus the establishment by-election.
“It’s a chance to stick two fingers up to the entire establishment to frankly tell them where to go, and that is why I will be putting my name forward to stand in this by-election.”
Published: by Radio NewsHub