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Nigel Farage is to be investigated by the Parliamentary Standards Watchdog over an £5million undeclared 'gift' from a crypto billionaire. Andrew Marr is joined by LBC's Aggie Chambre, who explains exactly what this means for the Reform UK leader. Mr Farage received the donation weeks before he announced he would stand as a candidate in Clacton ahead of the 2024 General Election. The Reform leader initially claimed the payment did not need to be declared and that he had not broken any rules, with the fee intended to cover his security costs. Listen to the full show on the all-new LBC App: https://app.af.lbc.co.uk/btnc/thenewlbcapp #andrewmarr #aggiechambre #ukpolitics #nigelfarage #reformuk #LBC LBC is the home of live debate around news and current affairs in the UK. Join in the conversation and listen at https://www.lbc.co.uk/ Sign up to LBC’s weekly newsletter here: https://l-bc.co/signup
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0:00
The Parliamentary Standards Commissioner, Daniel Greenberg
0:02
has said he is investigating Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, over a £5 million gift he was given shortly before he returned to politics
0:11
and stood successfully. If you want to have a conversation... Someone say this speaks to your integrity, Mr Farage
0:16
If you want to have a discussion at some point, Nick, with me, about illegally obtained information that shouldn't be in the public domain
0:21
we can talk about it right now. Was it illegally obtained? Oh, yes. And right now, as well as other things that have happened
0:27
over the last few weeks, computer hacking, you know it, I'm afraid
0:32
But, you know, we can discuss it another time. Let's talk now to LBC's deputy political editor, Agi Shaumbri
0:37
Agi, first of all, Nigel Farage says we only know about this because of illegal hacking activity
0:43
That's right. So The Guardian reported this a few weeks ago. Nigel Farage has said that's a result of illegal hacking activity
0:50
But otherwise, if the report had not been in The Guardian, we would not have known because he failed to declare this money
0:56
Now, his argument is that he didn't have to declare this money
1:00
Because he wasn't in politics at the time? Because, well, two things. So it does state, the rules state very clearly
1:06
that new MPs must register all their current financial interests and any registrable benefits received in the 12 months before their election
1:15
Now, this was just months before he was elected. But if it was a purely personal item then they wouldn have to However if there any doubt if you have any doubt over that as a new MP you should simply declare it And now of course an investigation has been launched
1:31
into this. It is worth noting as well, it's been pointed out by the Financial Times today, Andrew
1:37
that Nigel Farage did declare a donation from George Cottrell in mid-April 2024, of course
1:43
as well before he was elected, which covered accommodation, travel and security provision
1:48
And that was almost £10,000. And that's interesting because I've watched Nigel Farage being interviewed about this
1:53
And he says this was entirely for personal protection, that for the rest of his life, he's going to need personal protection
1:59
And this was a kind of gift to allow that to happen. So if any of this money was actually used for campaigning or for anything else, then he'd be in trouble
2:07
Indeed. And I don't think that is being suggested at the moment. But I suppose the question is whether he had any doubt about whether or not this should have been declared
2:16
And also, it's obviously a huge amount of money. And it came just before he was elected into Parliament
2:24
He and Reform have been very keen to promote cryptocurrency as a new economic force
2:31
And this money came from a crypto billionaire. That's right. So this money came from a man called Christopher Harbourn
2:37
He is a Thailand-based cryptocurrency investor. And he has not only so it separate because they are saying that this is a purely personal gift this million Separately to that Christopher Harbourn has given million to reform which has been properly declared And as you say Reform UK is widely considered
2:56
to have the most positive and pro-crypto major political party in the UK. Their policy is sort
3:03
of the most positive towards crypto. We have had a statement from Reform UK. They say
3:07
Nigel Farage's office is in communications with the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards
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Nigel has always been clear this was a personal, unconditional gift and no rules were broken
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They say they look forward to this being put to bed once and for all. But this may not be the only investigation he faces over this, Andrew
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because we understand that the Electoral Commission could also look at launching an investigation in this
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and they will decide by the end of this week. If he was found to have misled or done the wrong thing, either by Mr Greenberg or by the Electoral Commission
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what kind of sanctions are there? Well, the most extreme sanction would be expulsion from the House of Commons
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He could also be asked to apologise to the House of Commons. He could be suspended from the House of Commons
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And if you're suspended from the House of Commons for 10 days or more
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then it means that there can be a recall petition and then a by-election in your area
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So this could be very serious indeed, Andrew. Since I've got you here, Aggie, any thoughts about events over the course of the evening now
4:03
because we assume that there's going to be nothing more from West Streeting until probably tomorrow morning
4:10
And then if he decides he going to do what we think he going to do then we go straight Presumably we get a statement almost immediately from the prime minister saying that he going to stand as well And then it a question of hunting the numbers
4:21
Indeed, indeed. So we understand and it's being reported elsewhere that Keir Starmer is very much fighting today
4:27
So I don't think, as you say, we expect to hear anything from my street. In his spokesman was clear earlier today that because it was the King's speech day, they wouldn't be saying anything after that
4:36
was it a 16-minute meeting in Downing Street earlier today between the Prime Minister and the
4:40
Health Secretary? Can't you be very cordial? No, indeed. But Keir Starmer is meeting ministers
4:45
and he's basically urging them in the strongest possible terms not to back West Streeting and to
4:50
back him. And yes, as you say, if indeed the Health Secretary does resign tomorrow, then I suppose
4:54
the next thing that happens is Keir Starmer, we find out quite quickly whether or not he has the
4:59
numbers. And then Keir Starmer says that he will fight unless something very significant changes
5:03
And then, of course, the question, is anyone else going to enter the race? I was going to say, any sight of Andy Burnham
5:09
Well, no, but I am told that people close to his camp and his campaign are very keen
5:16
if indeed a leadership election is launched, they are going to lobby the National Executive Committee
5:21
who are in charge of timings of the election. They're going to lobby them to basically make the contest a few weeks longer
5:28
so that Andy Burnham has time to return to Westminster if he wins a Westminster seat
5:33
But this all could get very, very messy. It sounds messy already, Aggie
5:37
Thank you very, very much indeed for that
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