Nigel Farage’s own close aide has cast doubt on the official explanation that a £5 million gift to the former Brexit Party leader was intended solely for personal security, according to previously unpublished undercover footage. The videos, filmed by an undercover reporting group, appear to contradict Farage’s repeated claims that the donation was given unconditionally and used to cover security costs.

Farage is currently awaiting the outcome of a parliamentary standards watchdog investigation into whether the £5 million received from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne should have been declared under parliamentary rules. The donation, first publicly revealed earlier in 2024, has been the subject of intense scrutiny amid questions about its timing and purpose.

In May, Farage told a newspaper that the money was “given as a reward for campaigning for Brexit for 27 years,” a statement that seemed at odds with earlier assertions that the funds were exclusively for security purposes. Footage obtained by the reporting group and shared with news organizations features Dan Jukes, a longtime aide to Farage, discussing the gift in a private conversation with an undercover reporter.

Jukes suggested that Farage’s public explanation had been a mistake, saying, “That was not the line to take from the press office,” and indicating the party’s tight control over messaging related to the gift. Jukes also commented that it was “priced in” that Farage would profit from his political career, acknowledging a tacit acceptance that Farage might benefit financially from his work. The conversation touched on ways to receive funds given restrictions on donations from foreign entities, with Jukes agreeing that he would be willing to accept a large personal, unconditional gift.

The discussion raised the possibility that the £5 million might not have been a straightforward gift but potentially a payment for work, a scenario that could have tax implications. Questions remain about whether the donation complied with legal rules forbidding foreign donations to political parties or individuals in the UK. A police investigation into the matter is ongoing.

Harborne and his legal representatives maintain that the gift was intended to support Farage’s security “not just now, but for the rest of his life,” and that there was no expectation of anything in return. Harborne’s lawyers assert that the donation was made on April 5, 2024. However, financial sources have indicated that some of the funds were only received by the end of May, shortly before Farage announced plans to stand as a Member of Parliament in the June general election. Farage has reportedly told senior Reform UK figures that he would require around £1 million annually to compensate for lost earnings should he return to parliament.

Farage has provided different reasons for accepting the £5 million, including both security and as a political reward, but has declined to specify how much has been spent on security measures. He has stated that how he uses the money is a private matter. A spokesperson for Farage noted that Dan Jukes was “accurately describing that the gift was for his security for the rest of his life.” Meanwhile, Jukes’s legal team has accused his interlocutors of entrapment and selective editing intended to damage Reform UK’s reputation, denying any wrongdoing. Reform UK conducted an internal investigation concluding no laws were broken by Jukes or senior party officials, but the police inquiry remains active.