Parliamentary standards commissioner opens inquiry into Farage’s £5m gift and property purchases
Official investigation launched as Labour demands full breakdown of funds from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne
The parliamentary standards commissioner has opened an official inquiry into Reform UK leader Nigel Farage concerning a £5m gift received from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne. The investigation follows intensified scrutiny over Farage’s property portfolio, particularly a £1.4m home in Surrey purchased in the weeks after the gift was accepted.
Farage, who recently celebrated Reform UK’s successes in the May elections, is now facing questions regarding the source and use of the funds. While Farage initially described the payment as a “no-strings-attached” gift for his lifelong security, he later told The Sun the money was a “reward” for 27 years of Brexit campaigning, a statement that appears to contradict his previous explanations.
Reform UK sources maintain that the acquisition of the Surrey property was funded independently. They cite a £1.5m appearance fee from ITV’s I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here as the source of funds, asserting that proof-of-funds and anti-money-laundering checks were completed before Farage received the Harborne gift. A party spokesperson stated the purchase process commenced before the gift and proceeded independently.
The Surrey residence, a Grade II-listed detached home on a site of historic interest, is listed on 2025 planning documents as occupied by its owner and not intended for rental. Farage has filmed content for the Cameo platform from the property in recent years, and neighbours report that security measures were installed shortly after the purchase. Reform UK has declined to confirm if Farage resides there, citing security advice regarding the danger to him.
Scrutiny also extends to Farage’s other assets. His partner, Laure Ferrari, purchased an £885,000 property in Clacton in November 2024, but has declined to disclose the funding source. Farage also owns two properties on the Kent coast through his company Thorn in the Side, one of which received planning permission for demolition and rebuilding in 2024.
Labour has demanded a full breakdown of the £5m gift’s use. Party chair Anna Turley stated that Farage must “come clean” with the public regarding the funds and why they were not declared. The inquiry comes as Farage faces questions over whether he has properly declared his financial interests and adhered to parliamentary standards.