Nigel Farage has confirmed that George Cottrell, a convicted fraudster and close associate, provided him with access to a London property and financed social media filming prior to the most recent election. Farage, leader of Reform UK, acknowledged these contributions in an interview on the Triggernometry podcast, describing them as “totally undeclarable in every single way.”

The former Brexit Party leader also discussed a £5 million ($6.7 million) donation from Christopher Harborne, a businessman based in Thailand. Farage stated he had been advised that the large gift did not require declaration under parliamentary rules because it was unconditional. Despite this, both the support from Cottrell and the Harborne donation are under investigation to determine whether they should have been publicly reported.

Farage said that since his election in July 2024, Cottrell has provided no financial assistance, emphasizing that any earlier support was unrelated to his political activities. He acknowledged the possibility that the parliamentary standards authorities might rule against him but maintained his position regarding the declarations.

The ongoing scrutiny focuses on whether Farage complied with electoral regulations concerning transparency of funding, an issue that has drawn attention due to Cottrell’s criminal background and the size of Harborne’s contribution. Farage’s comments underline tensions in political finance oversight and the obligations of candidates to disclose material support.