The Liberal Democrats have written to the parliamentary standards commissioner, Daniel Greenberg, asking him to investigate gifts provided to Nigel Farage by George Cottrell, a longtime aide and convicted fraudster. This comes as Farage already faces a probe into a £5m gift from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne.
What are the latest allegations?
According to a report in the Sunday Times, George Cottrell provided funding for Farage’s operation, including staffing, security and housing. Cottrell recruited and paid three staff to work on Farage’s social media before the general election, and offered him the use of a five-storey Georgian townhouse near Buckingham Palace.
Under rules at the time, new MPs were required to register gifts worth more than £300 received in the previous 12 months, unless the gift “could not be reasonably thought by others” to relate to their political activities.
Who is George Cottrell?
Cottrell, nicknamed “Posh George” by Brexit campaign donor Arron Banks, is a Gloucester-born aristocrat educated on the Caribbean island of Mustique and Malvern College. He first became involved in Ukip as a volunteer in the run-up to the Brexit referendum. In 2017, he was jailed for eight months in the US after pleading guilty to wire fraud for attempting to defraud criminals on the dark web by masquerading as a money launderer. After his release, he moved to Montenegro, where he became a familiar figure in the luxurious coastal resort of Porto Montenegro.
What has Reform said?
Reform’s Treasury spokesperson, Robert Jenrick, said Cottrell was an old friend of Farage’s and had “no formal role within Reform”. He argued no rules were broken because Farage received the support before becoming an MP. Asked if Cottrell paid for Farage’s security and staff in 2024, Jenrick told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme he did, but said: “It’s perfectly legitimate for a personal friend to offer you security. The question really is, did he need to report this? No, because it was a personal friend, and it was before he was a member of parliament.”
Is this connected to the £5m donation?
No. The Guardian previously revealed that Farage received a £5m gift from Harborne weeks before announcing his candidacy in the 2024 general election. Farage originally said the gift was for personal security costs, but after it emerged he bought a £1.4m property in cash shortly after, he said it was a “reward” for campaigning for Brexit for 27 years. The standards watchdog launched an investigation in May into whether the £5m fell within rules requiring MPs to declare gifts or donations received in the 12 months before entering parliament. Greenberg is expected to report before parliament rises for the summer.
Who is Christopher Harborne?
Harborne is a British-Thai billionaire based in Thailand, an early buyer of digital tokens that have soared in value. He is one of the owners of Tether, the company that issues the most widely traded cryptocurrency, described as the most profitable company per employee in history. Tether has issued $184bn (£137bn) in stablecoins.
What happens if Farage is found to have broken the rules?
The parliamentary commissioner for standards can investigate breaches of the code of conduct. For less serious breaches, the MP can acknowledge and apologise. In more serious cases, the commissioner refers the matter to the committee on standards, which may recommend a sanction, including suspension from the Commons. If Farage is suspended for more than 10 sitting days, his constituents can trigger a byelection via a recall petition signed by 10% of eligible registered voters in his Clacton seat.
