Nigel Farage has alleged that his phone was hacked by Russian spies to access information regarding his controversial £5 million donation. The Parliamentary Standards Commissioner is investigating whether Farage breached rules by not disclosing the gift from Christopher Harborne. Farage insists he was not obligated to declare the money.
Following the revelation of the donation by Christopher Harborne, sources suggest that Farage, the leader of Reform UK, grew suspicious of potential compromise by foreign state actors. Reform UK asserts that the £5 million was an unrestricted personal gift, maintaining that no regulations were violated. Farage clarified that the funds were intended for his personal security requirements, later characterizing it as a token of appreciation for his involvement in Brexit campaigning.
Questions have arisen regarding why Farage did not report the £5 million gift from Harborne. Parliamentary regulations mandate that incoming MPs disclose relevant gifts and donations received in the year prior to their election. The initial report on the donation surfaced in The Guardian. While there is no indication of the newspaper’s involvement in illegal activities, Farage questioned the judgment of The Guardian and its potential collaboration with Reform in the future.
In an interview with The Sun, Farage expressed dismay over the public disclosure of the gift, deeming it a “disgrace.” He emphasized that details of the donation, mainly allocated for his security, should not have been leaked. MailOnline reported a response from a Guardian source refuting Farage’s claims, labeling them as diversionary tactics to evade scrutiny over his financial affairs.
Farage now asserts that Russian operatives hacked his phone to access information about the £5 million donation. An insider from his party revealed that only four individuals were aware of the donation, prompting Farage to subject his mobile phone to forensic examination by counter-espionage specialists. The analysis indicated that hostile state actors, likely affiliated with Moscow, utilized “spear phishing” techniques to compromise his phone, emails, and bank accounts.
Addressing the issue, Farage condemned Russia’s actions as a threat to British security. He maintains that there is no correlation between the £5 million gift and the £1.4 million house he purchased shortly after.