By Ben Kerrigan-
A senior aide to Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has been filmed appearing to suggest a way around electoral law to secure a £500,000 donation from a wealthy American businessman, in an undercover investigation broadcast by Channel 4 News.
Dan Jukes, (pictured)a senior Reform UK aide and party spokesperson, was recorded meeting an undercover reporter posing as the British-based son of a wealthy American businessman. According to Channel 4, the footage was obtained from Verbatim Investigations, an undercover operation whose material the broadcaster said it had independently verified before deciding to broadcast it.
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UK electoral law places strict restrictions on who can donate to political parties. A permissible individual donor must be a UK-registered voter, while companies making political donations must meet specific requirements, including being registered in the United Kingdom. In the scenario presented by the undercover reporters, the supposed British-based son would qualify as a permissible donor, while his American father would not.
The issue emerged when the undercover reporter raised concerns with Jukes about whether his father could legally provide the proposed £500,000 directly to Reform UK. In footage filmed outside a pub in Westminster, Jukes appears to respond by suggesting that the donation could instead be made in the son’s name, despite the money ultimately coming from his American father.
“You do realise that you can do it?” Jukes is heard saying in the footage. Channel 4 reported that Jukes appeared to be suggesting that the son could formally become the donor while receiving the money from his father to fund the contribution. “Actually that does strike me as a solution,” Jukes is then heard saying.
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In another part of the conversation, Jukes appears to indicate that the arrangement was not unprecedented. Some exchanges were bleeped in the broadcast, but Channel 4 said they appeared to refer to previous occasions on which a similar mechanism had allegedly been used. “That’s one of the ways in which we do it,” Jukes is heard saying.
The allegations escalated when Channel 4 later broadcast footage of a lunch meeting in Clacton, Essex, attended by Jukes, Farage and James Orr, Reform UK’s head of policy, alongside the two undercover reporters posing as the son and his American father.
During the meeting, the supposed son tells Farage that he has already been discussing the proposed donation with Jukes and Orr. He explains that he would be the registered donor, while his father would provide the money.
“I’ll be the registered donor,” the undercover reporter tells Farage. “But then dad will send the money to me, and then as soon as that’s done and all those conversations are had the money is available.”
Farage responds: “Thank you. Well, both of you. Thank you.” He is also heard saying that the arrangement is “all above board”.
The footage has prompted Reform UK to launch an internal investigation into both Jukes and Orr. The party has not confirmed whether Jukes remains a party spokesperson. The investigation also raises questions about the funding of opinion polling commissioned on behalf of Reform UK. Earlier in the undercover operation, Channel 4 reported that Orr discussed the possibility of the undercover reporter’s father paying for polling intended to assist the party’s campaigning.
In one exchange, Orr allegedly suggests that a polling company could send an £18,000-plus-VAT bill directly to the undercover reporter. Channel 4 said Reform UK commissioned three polls with a combined cost of £32,500, while the public was not informed who had commissioned or funded them.
Under electoral law, political parties are required to disclose certain donations and funding arrangements. The Electoral Commission said parties must report all permissible donations above £11,180 and all impermissible donations above £500. The commission added that information concerning any potential attempt to evade the controls on political donations was a matter for the police to consider.
Reform UK has strongly rejected the allegations and described the investigation as a deliberate attempt to entrap the party. In a statement, the party said it had “been the target of a hoax perpetuated by foreign-funded, climate change activists posing as would-be party donors” and denied any wrongdoing.
The party also said it operates a robust vetting process for prospective donors approved by the Electoral Commission. Reform UK further questioned the methods used by Verbatim Investigations, claiming the organisation was incorporated in July 2026 and was an attempt to conceal its connection to the Center for Climate Reporting.
The party cited previous criticism of the founder of that organisation, Lawrence Carter, claiming members of the United States Congress had questioned the accuracy and completeness of material produced through similar undercover methods.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed it was aware of the allegations following the broadcast. A spokesman said officers were aware of media reporting concerning political party donations and an alleged breach of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 relating to polling. The force said it would assess the matter and any information provided to it.
The allegations place renewed scrutiny on Reform UK and its approach to political donations at a time when the party is seeking to expand its electoral influence. Whether the conversations captured by the undercover operation amount to an actual breach of electoral law will ultimately depend on the full circumstances, the flow of funds and any evidence gathered by investigators.
The footage has raised significant questions over whether senior figures within Reform UK were prepared to accept foreign-linked funding through an arrangement designed to make an otherwise impermissible donation appear lawful. With internal party investigations under way and police assessing the allegations, the dispute is likely to intensify as scrutiny turns to what was discussed, what was ultimately agreed and whether any money or polling services changed hands.
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