The tangled financial web at the heart of Reform UK
Nigel Farage’s £5m gift, the Cottrell family’s links and donations, and Richard Tice’s business dealings form part of an increasingly clear nexus of relationships It has been three months since the Guardian revealed that Nigel Farage had accepted a £5m gift from Christopher Harborne , a billionaire donor to Reform UK. This was not the first story in our continuing investigation. But it has proved…
The financial web surrounding Reform UK has become increasingly evident since the Guardian revealed Nigel Farage's £5m gift from Christopher Harborne, a significant donor to the party. This disclosure is part of a continuous investigation that uncovers how Reform UK has been funded. Farage's deputy, Richard Tice, has known George Cottrell, a convicted fraudster, for 50 years.
George Cottrell has transferred over $2m to his mother, Fiona, shortly before she made substantial donations to the party. Cottrell is also a significant donor and an unpaid adviser to Reform UK. In 2024, George Cottrell lent money to Richard Tice's company, and Tice made a donation to Reform UK. The Guardian has exposed a financially and politically incestuous set of relationships among Farage, Cottrell, Harborne, and Tice, who are all at the heart of the party.
Despite scrutiny, Farage has provided vague explanations for accepting the £5m gift and accused the Guardian of a plot to undermine him. Cottrell, known as "Posh George," has been at Farage's side for a decade and is believed to be an unpaid adviser. His wealth and business activity have been a subject of investigation, including his alleged role as a frontman for a betting syndicate and involvement in offshore gambling.
The Guardian has also revealed that Fiona, George's mother, secretly donated £1m to a fundraising vehicle for Reform UK in June 2024.
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