Labour chair demands Farage report alleged Russian hacking to police
Reform UK leader faces pressure to substantiate cybercrime allegations as standards commissioner investigates undeclared donation
The Labour chair, Anna Turley, has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, demanding he report alleged phone hacking by Russian-linked actors to the police and security services. In a letter sent to Farage, Turley stated that the matter is in the public and national interest due to potential hostile-state interference, warning that the Labour party would report the incident itself if no confirmation is received within the deadline.
Turley’s correspondence follows claims made by Farage that his phone was compromised by malware, leading to the leak of details regarding a £5m undeclared gift from cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne. A Reform UK spokesperson confirmed the incident had been reported to "relevant authorities" but did not specify which bodies were involved.
Scepticism has mounted regarding the allegations, with former National Cyber Security Centre head Ciaran Martin dismissing the claim as an entirely unsubstantiated assertion without merit. Martin noted that it would be difficult to conclude Russian involvement based solely on a phone examination, though he advised that Farage should formally report the matter to authorities given the seriousness of the allegations.
The parliamentary commissioner for standards has also begun an investigation into whether Farage breached declaration rules regarding the donation. Parliamentary rules require the declaration of potentially relevant interests from 12 months before becoming an MP. Farage initially described the sum as payment for security costs but later characterised it as a reward for his Brexit campaigning, arguing it was a personal matter as he was not an MP at the time.
Turley wrote that if the alleged crime occurred, it would constitute a serious cybercrime and a potential hostile-state operation directed at the leader of a British political party. She emphasised that any evidence of hostile-state hacking must be placed in the hands of proper authorities for independent investigation to protect national security and public confidence in the democratic system.