Reform UK suspended its head of policy James Orr and senior aide Dan Jukes on Friday after an undercover investigation broadcast by Channel 4 News the previous night captured them discussing ways to channel foreign donations to the party.

The footage, produced by Verbatim Investigations and linked to the Centre for Climate Reporting, showed the pair meeting individuals posing as a wealthy American donor and his UK-based son. Jukes suggested routing a potential £500,000 donation through the son to comply with electoral rules, while Orr discussed having the American fund opinion polls for the party.

Channel 4 reported that three polls costing £32,500 were commissioned in this manner earlier in 2026, with results appearing in national newspapers without disclosure of the funding source. No actual donation was completed as part of the sting.

Reform UK announced the suspensions and internal probe on Friday morning, stating that both individuals had stepped down pending the outcome. Party leader Nigel Farage described the recorded comments as "loose pub talk" and "human error," insisting the party had taken no illegal money and that the operation amounted to entrapment by foreign-funded activists.

Farage, who met the undercover figures during the filming, later said he was not fully attentive to the conversation and was questioning its legality at the time. The allegations overshadowed Reform UK's annual conference in Birmingham, which continued over the weekend.

Labour and the Liberal Democrats called for a Metropolitan Police investigation into potential breaches of electoral law, which prohibits foreign donations to UK parties. Police are assessing the matter but have not confirmed whether a full probe will be launched.

The party has faced prior scrutiny over its finances, including other ongoing inquiries. Reform maintains that no rules were broken and that the sting targeted the organization unfairly.