Reform MP declines to confirm if Farage provided Russian hack evidence to security services

Reform UK’s lead on preparing for government, Danny Kruger, has refused to confirm whether party leader Nigel Farage has provided evidence to UK security services regarding allegations of a Russian cyber-attack. Kruger characterised the issue as a private matter and stated he was not privy to the details of any ongoing investigation.

Farage has faced mounting pressure to substantiate claims that a state-sponsored Russian hack preceded a Guardian report last month concerning a £5 million gift received from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne. Both the Labour and Conservative parties have emphasised the national security implications of such allegations, yet Kruger declined to comment on whether the party leader had reported his concerns to authorities.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Kruger stated he did not know if Farage had shared evidence with officials. When asked if Farage should be required to produce proof, Kruger responded: “I really am not the person to discuss the ins and outs of what’s being done in terms of the investigation.” He added that while an investigation was necessary, the specifics remained private.

A Reform source, quoted by the Mail on Sunday, claimed that Farage had privately commissioned counter-espionage experts to analyse his phone, who concluded it had almost certainly been compromised by Russian agents. However, no evidence was produced, and the experts involved were not named. Farage’s spokesperson has not responded to requests for details regarding the analysis or whether evidence was handed over to authorities.

The Guardian has firmly rejected the hacking narrative, describing it as an attempt to deflect attention from legitimate scrutiny of Farage’s financial affairs. A spokesperson for the newspaper called it absurd to suggest the gift was discovered via a Russian hack, asserting that Farage was hiding behind baseless attacks on the media rather than facing scrutiny from journalists and politicians.

Kruger also addressed scrutiny surrounding Reform’s Makerfield byelection candidate, Robert Kenyon. Following revelations of past social media comments, including lewd remarks about female public figures and interactions with far-right accounts, Kruger defended the candidate by distinguishing between private online expression and public conduct. He acknowledged that such comments were unsuitable for elected politicians but stated he was not going to judge individuals for remarks made in what he described as a private setting.