Labour escalates Farage phone hack claims to security agencies
The Labour chair has urged the Metropolitan Police and National Cyber Security Centre to investigate allegations that hostile actors linked to Moscow compromised Nigel Farage’s communications, citing national security implications.
Labour chair Anna Turley has formally reported alleged hacking of Reform UK leader Nigel Farage’s phone to the Metropolitan Police and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), following concerns that the party failed to make the notification itself. Turley’s intervention comes after Reform UK claimed that hostile actors linked to Moscow accessed Farage’s data, which allegedly included details of a £5m donation from cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne.
In a letter to Farage, Turley described the alleged crime as having "potential wider implications for Britain’s national security, the integrity of our politics and public confidence in our democratic system." She stated that she had contacted the NCSC and the Met Police to ensure that the suspicions raised by Reform UK were investigated properly, noting that the party had not confirmed reporting the matter to the NCSC by Thursday afternoon.
Reform UK has suggested that the Guardian’s revelation regarding the donation originated from material leaked from Farage’s phone, email, and bank accounts. A party spokesperson stated the matter had been reported to "relevant authorities" but declined to specify which ones, citing ongoing investigations. Sources within the party have claimed that counter-espionage experts concluded Farage’s phone was compromised through a "spear phishing" attack.
The controversy centres on a £5m gift Harborne provided to Farage in 2024, shortly before the Reform leader announced he would stand for parliament. Parliamentary rules require MPs to declare gifts received in the 12 months prior to taking office, depending on whether they were for political or personal purposes. Farage initially stated the funds covered security costs before later describing the sum as a "reward" for his Brexit campaigning.
Political opponents have seized on the allegations to question Farage’s financial transparency. Conservative party chair Kevin Hollinrake accused Farage of "playing the Russia card" after years of making excuses for Vladimir Putin. Meanwhile, Labour MPs Phil Brickell and Lloyd Hatton have written to HMRC urging an examination of whether Farage owed tax on the donation, although tax expert Dan Neidle assessed that Farage "probably doesn’t owe tax" on the gift.