Metropolitan Police probe Reform UK donations linked to Richard Tice

The Metropolitan Police have launched a formal investigation into donations made to Reform UK ahead of the 2024 general election, focusing on payments routed through a company controlled by the party’s deputy leader, Richard Tice. The inquiry was initiated in February 2025 following a referral from the Electoral Commission, which determined that the matter fell outside its own investigative remit and required police intervention.

Detectives from the Met’s special enquiry team are examining alleged offences under section 61 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000. The scrutiny centres on two donations of £250,000 each made by Britain Means Business, a firm for which Tice is the sole director. These payments were made in the weeks preceding the 2024 general election.

The investigation also encompasses two direct donations of £250,000 made by Fiona Cottrell to Reform UK in May 2024. Prior to these transfers, Cottrell had moved £1 million into Britain Means Business, with approximately half of those funds subsequently passed to the party. Bankers had previously reported the initial transfer to the National Crime Agency via a suspicious activity report, a mechanism used to flag potential money laundering rather than a formal crime report.

Both Cottrell and another individual have been interviewed under caution as part of the probe, although no arrests have been made. Early investigative advice has been sought from the Crown Prosecution Service. The National Crime Agency has reportedly been unable to trace the original source of the £1 million sent by Cottrell and is currently seeking assistance from a foreign partner to establish the funds' origins.

Tice, who was elected to parliament following the 2024 poll, stated he was unaware of the police investigation and characterised reports of it as a politically motivated smear campaign. He questioned why the Met was briefing the media before contacting interested parties. A Reform UK spokesperson maintained that the party adheres to strict vetting procedures and follows Electoral Commission guidelines, while Cottrell did not respond to requests for comment.