Headline: Metropolitan Police Launch Criminal Investigation Into Reform UK Donations

Date: 9 September 2026

Tags: UK Politics, Reform UK, Electoral Law, Police

Summary:

• Metropolitan Police have launched a criminal investigation into Reform UK over alleged breaches of electoral law involving potential donations.

• The investigation follows undercover reporting alleging senior party figures discussed ways of disguising donations from foreign sources.

• Accepting donations from impermissible foreign companies, including certain donations in kind, can constitute a criminal offence.

• Police said they received several reports concerning donations and polling following the undercover broadcast on 3 September.

• Detectives determined there were potential offences requiring investigation under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.

• The allegations will become part of an existing Metropolitan Police investigation into donations made to Reform UK.

• Police are seeking relevant footage and are working with the Electoral Commission and Crown Prosecution Service.

• Reform UK denies wrongdoing and says it will fully cooperate with the police investigation.

• Senior Reform figures Dan Jukes and James Orr have been suspended pending an internal investigation and deny the allegations.

• No arrests have been made, and nobody has yet been interviewed regarding the latest allegations.

Why this matters: The investigation places Reform UK’s political financing under criminal scrutiny over whether electoral laws governing permissible donations were breached.

What’s next: Detectives will examine the undercover footage and other evidence while continuing discussions with electoral authorities and prosecutors.