To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.This video can not be playedNick Eardley, Political correspondent and Richard Wheeler, Political reporter5 July 2026, 02:33 BSTUpdated 1 hour agoRobert Jenrick says “no rules have been broken whatsoever” by Nigel Farage, after reports the Reform UK leader failed to declare benefits provided by an ally once convicted of fraud in the US.The Sunday Times says George Cottrell supplied support including security and social media staff who worked on Farage’s online content in the year before he was elected. It also claims Farage used a property rented by Cottrell near Buckingham Palace.Jenrick, Reform’s Treasury spokesman, told the BBC that Farage did not need to register the support as it was in a “purely personal capacity” before he became an MP.The Liberal Democrats have asked the parliamentary standards commissioner to investigate.Farage declares earning £270,000 for promoting gold bullion4 days agoFarage says £5m gift spending details ‘not public’s business’23 JuneFarage faces standards probe into £5m gift from crypto billionaire13 MayFarage is already facing a parliamentary probe over a £5m gift from a billionaire Reform UK donor which was not registered. He has argued that money was for personal security and was not political because it was received when he was not involved in politics.His team have made a similar argument for why the “in kind” – non-cash – benefits allegedly from Cottrell were not registered.Cottrell, 32, who admitted a count of wire fraud in the US in 2017, is a long-standing ally of Farage. He was involved with UKIP as a volunteer in the run-up to the Brexit referendum.According to the Sunday Times, Cottrell is a cryptocurrency entrepreneur and is involved with offshore gambling website Tether.bet.Getty ImagesSpeaking to the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Jenrick described Cottrell as an “old friend” of Farage’s.Jenrick said: “He did give support to Nigel before he was a Member of Parliament, he hasn’t done so since he became a Member of Parliament.”No rules have been broken whatsoever.”Jenrick said it was a “very old story that has been dredged up” in a bid to “drag Nigel downwards”, adding: “It’s not going to succeed.”Asked if Farage stayed in a townhouse being rented by Cottrell, Jenrick replied: “I believe Nigel has said that he stayed a couple of times there, very infrequently, as you’re allowed to.”Nigel Farage is allowed to have friends, as a politician you’re allowed to stay at a friend’s house, and certainly remember Nigel was not an elected politician. He was, if you like, an ex-politician at the time.”Jenrick also said Farage had “absolutely” received help from Cottrell with staffing costs, including security, before he became an MP.He said: “You’re allowed to accept a gift, support, whatever you want to call it, from a personal friend before you’re a Member of Parliament if it’s in a purely personal capacity.”So there is absolutely nothing to see in this story.”In 2017, Cottrell was jailed for eight months in the US after pleading guilty to a charge of wire fraud after admitting attempting to defraud criminals on the dark web by posing as a money launderer.Farage was with him when US authorities pounced as the pair were returning to the UK from a Republican convention.Getty ImagesFarage served as Reform’s honorary president between March 2021 and June 2024. On 3 June 2024, he confirmed he was returning …
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
[mwai_chat context=”Let’s have a discussion about this article:nnTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.This video can not be playedNick Eardley, Political correspondent and Richard Wheeler, Political reporter5 July 2026, 02:33 BSTUpdated 1 hour agoRobert Jenrick says “no rules have been broken whatsoever” by Nigel Farage, after reports the Reform UK leader failed to declare benefits provided by an ally once convicted of fraud in the US.The Sunday Times says George Cottrell supplied support including security and social media staff who worked on Farage’s online content in the year before he was elected. It also claims Farage used a property rented by Cottrell near Buckingham Palace.Jenrick, Reform’s Treasury spokesman, told the BBC that Farage did not need to register the support as it was in a “purely personal capacity” before he became an MP.The Liberal Democrats have asked the parliamentary standards commissioner to investigate.Farage declares earning £270,000 for promoting gold bullion4 days agoFarage says £5m gift spending details ‘not public’s business’23 JuneFarage faces standards probe into £5m gift from crypto billionaire13 MayFarage is already facing a parliamentary probe over a £5m gift from a billionaire Reform UK donor which was not registered. He has argued that money was for personal security and was not political because it was received when he was not involved in politics.His team have made a similar argument for why the “in kind” – non-cash – benefits allegedly from Cottrell were not registered.Cottrell, 32, who admitted a count of wire fraud in the US in 2017, is a long-standing ally of Farage. He was involved with UKIP as a volunteer in the run-up to the Brexit referendum.According to the Sunday Times, Cottrell is a cryptocurrency entrepreneur and is involved with offshore gambling website Tether.bet.Getty ImagesSpeaking to the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Jenrick described Cottrell as an “old friend” of Farage’s.Jenrick said: “He did give support to Nigel before he was a Member of Parliament, he hasn’t done so since he became a Member of Parliament.”No rules have been broken whatsoever.”Jenrick said it was a “very old story that has been dredged up” in a bid to “drag Nigel downwards”, adding: “It’s not going to succeed.”Asked if Farage stayed in a townhouse being rented by Cottrell, Jenrick replied: “I believe Nigel has said that he stayed a couple of times there, very infrequently, as you’re allowed to.”Nigel Farage is allowed to have friends, as a politician you’re allowed to stay at a friend’s house, and certainly remember Nigel was not an elected politician. He was, if you like, an ex-politician at the time.”Jenrick also said Farage had “absolutely” received help from Cottrell with staffing costs, including security, before he became an MP.He said: “You’re allowed to accept a gift, support, whatever you want to call it, from a personal friend before you’re a Member of Parliament if it’s in a purely personal capacity.”So there is absolutely nothing to see in this story.”In 2017, Cottrell was jailed for eight months in the US after pleading guilty to a charge of wire fraud after admitting attempting to defraud criminals on the dark web by posing as a money launderer.Farage was with him when US authorities pounced as the pair were returning to the UK from a Republican convention.Getty ImagesFarage served as Reform’s honorary president between March 2021 and June 2024. On 3 June 2024, he confirmed he was returning …nnDiscussion:nn” ai_name=”RocketNews AI: ” start_sentence=”Can I tell you more about this article?” text_input_placeholder=”Type ‘Yes'”]
