Nigel Farage has claimed that his phone was accessed by 'foreign state actors' likely linked to Moscow, prompting Labour chair Anna Turley to demand he report the incident to security services within 24 hours or the party will do it themselves.
Turley's Ultimatum
In a letter to the Reform UK leader, Turley stated it was 'in the public and national interest' to ensure a suspected overseas hack of a senior politician's phone by a hostile state was properly investigated. A Reform spokesperson said the incident had been reported to 'the relevant authorities' without specifying which ones.
Background of the Claim
Scepticism surrounds Farage's claim, made in a Sunday newspaper, that 'foreign state actors' accessed his phone and leaked information about a £5m gift from Christopher Harborne, a cryptocurrency billionaire based in Thailand. Farage initially said the money was for his security but later described it as a reward for his Brexit campaigning.
According to 'Reform sources' cited by the Mail on Sunday, after the Guardian revealed the undeclared gift, Farage handed his phone for 'forensic analysis by counter-espionage experts', which supposedly concluded a malware attack likely from Russia compromised his phone, email, and bank accounts.
National Security Concerns
Turley wrote: 'If it had happened, this would constitute a serious cybercrime and a potential hostile-state operation directed at the leader of a British political party. It is essential that any evidence of hostile-state hacking is placed in the hands of the proper authorities.'
The letter added: 'If we do not receive confirmation within 24 hours that this matter has been reported to the police, the Labour party will report the matter ourselves.'
Expert Reactions
Ciaran Martin, former head of the National Cyber Security Centre, called Farage's version 'an entirely unsubstantiated claim and one without any merit', noting it would be difficult to conclude Russia's involvement from a phone exam. He urged Farage to formally report the incident.
The parliamentary commissioner for standards has begun investigating whether Farage broke rules by not declaring the £5m gift, which he received before becoming an MP. Farage argues it was a personal matter not requiring declaration.
A Reform UK spokesperson said: 'It has been reported to the relevant authorities. It would be inappropriate to comment further while investigations are ongoing.'
