Nigel Farage has avoided a police investigation into allegations that his 2024 general election campaign breached electoral law, partly because the alleged offences occurred more than a year ago.
Essex Police confirmed on Thursday that they could not open an investigation, stating the report fell outside the one-year time limit specified by the Representation of the People Act 1983. The report, submitted on 5 December, concerned claims of misreported campaign expenditure.
The Electoral Commission, which was asked to investigate other aspects of the case, said it found no undeclared spending that should have been included in Reform UK’s national expenditure. The commission reviewed correspondence from Labour MP Anna Turley, who had questioned whether the party had exceeded the £20,660 campaign spending limit in Clacton.
Turley had expressed concern that if Clacton-specific spending was included in Reform UK’s national return, or if certain national expenses were not declared, the party’s spending report could be inaccurate. These concerns followed claims from a whistleblower, reported by the Daily Telegraph, that Reform UK failed to declare expenses including leaflets, banners, utility bills, and refurbishment costs for a Clacton campaign office.
Sam Power, a political finance expert at the University of Bristol, noted that the police, rather than the Electoral Commission, have authority to investigate alleged campaign overspending. He added that Turley’s request to the commission primarily concerned party spending, which is under the commission’s remit, rather than local campaign spending.
A spokesperson for Reform UK denied any wrongdoing, stating, “The party denies breaking electoral law. We look forward to clearing our name.”
Farage has faced additional controversies, including allegations of racist behavior during his schooldays and criticism from former colleagues. Recently, 26 peers from Dulwich College condemned him for not acknowledging his past actions, which he said were politically motivated. Reform UK called these claims a “witch-hunt” and an attempt to undermine the party’s credibility.
In another controversy, Farage was urged to dismiss a mayoral candidate after the candidate suggested Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy should “go home” to the Caribbean, despite Lammy being British.
Thomas Reed is the Breaking News Editor at Newslabx, responsible for real-time news updates and developing stories. He coordinates with reporters and editors to ensure fast, accurate, and verified information reaches readers while maintaining high editorial standards.
