Reform reported to police over allegations of illegal foreign donations after undercover investigation

Reform UK has been reported to the police over an allegation that it was preparing to accept an illegal donation.Senior Reform figures including leader Nigel Farage are said to have discussed a £500,000 donation from a US businessman through his son, who lives in the UK. But both were undercover members of Verbatim, a group of investigative journalists.Foreign political donations are banned in the UK. The donation was never made.The Lib Dems have written to the Metropolitan Police and Electoral Commission about the issue. Labour also intends to report it to the police, it is understood, and the Greens have called for a probe.In a letter to the Met Police, Lib Dem Cabinet Office spokesman Lisa Smart wrote: 'The breach raises alarming questions about whether there has been a wider complacency toward foreign interference by the individuals involved.'Channel 4, which aired the allegations, quoted lawyer Bob Posner, ex-boss of the Electoral Commission, who said 'serious criminal offences' may have been committed. Verbatim also claimed senior figures in Reform had accepted £32,500 in funding for three opinion polls commissioned by the party. Senior Reform figures including leader Nigel Farage are said to have discussed a £500,000 donation from a US businessman through his son, who lives in the UK Farage and his senior aide Dan Jukes were filmed meeting a US businessman and his son, who lives in the UK, and discussing donations. The men were both undercover members of Verbatim, a group of investigative journalistsThey appeared in newspapers, but the investigators claim that Reform did not tell the public it had commissioned the polls or announced who funded them.Reform said yesterday it was 'the target of a hoax' and denied any wrongdoing.A Met Police spokesman said last night: 'We're aware of media reporting on Thursday 3 September involving political party donations and an alleged breach of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 relating to polling.'We will assess this matter and any information provided to us.'The investigation alleged that senior figures in Reform had accepted funding for three opinion polls commissioned by the party.The polls appeared in newspapers, including two ahead of the local elections in May.But the investigators claim that Reform had not told the public that it had commissioned the polls or announced who funded them.Payment for the work - which cost £32,500 in total - has not yet been declared by the party to the Electoral Commission even though most of the deadlines it is required to meet are said to have now passed.Two undercover investigators posed as a wealthy American and his UK-based son and met Nigel Farage and senior aides over oysters and wine in his Clacton constituency.During the meeting - which was filmed - Mr Farage said the polling was 'amazing' and provided 'bang for buck', adding: 'It worked. Boom.'The party then discussed a potentially larger donation to Reform, with the undercover businessman allegedly making clear that the UK-based son would make the payment even though the money was coming from the US-based father.The investigators claim that Mr Farage's senior aide Dan Jukes proposed the arrangement at an earlier meeting.They say such an arrangement would be illegal. Mr Farage allegedly replied 'thank you' and added: 'Both of you: thank you.'He is said to have added 'it's all above board' with regards to the potential donation, the investigators claim.The US company that made the poll payments and the supposed American financier, resident in the US, are not permissible donors under electoral law, it added.The Electoral Commission states that political party donations include funding that helps a party meet costs and expenses, such as payments for studies and research.Any legitimate donations from permissible donors that are worth more than £11,180 in a calendar year legally must also be declared to the Electoral Commission.But Reform denies any wrongdoing.They claim that the undercover reporting was a 'hoax perpetrated by foreign-funded, climate change activists posing as would-be party donors.'They added that they have a 'robust process for prospective donors approved by the Electoral Commission.'They pointed out that Verbatim was founded by those working for the Centre for Climate Reporting and said they had checked the footage and findings.It comes after it emerged that Reform had received more than £5million in donations from a cryptocurrency billionaire.Nigel Farage's party accepted more than £5.3m in donations, with most coming from Ben Delo, who relocated from Hong Kong to the UK so he could continue funding the party.There were no donations from Christopher Harborne, another cryptocurrency billionaire based in Thailand who has previously given the party more than £9million.He is at the centre of an investigation by parliament's watchdog into a £5 million gift he gave Mr Farage shortly before he became an MP.The parliamentary commissioner for standards is investigating whether the gift should have been declared. Mr Farage says that he did not need to declare it.There was also a £75,000 donation from a company linked to the co-owner of Chelsea football club, Todd Boehly.- READ MORE: We'd stop the boats in 100 days: Farage reveals Reform's plan to block migrants, slash benefits and cut taxes