Nigel Farage admits fraudster friend paid for filming, used his h 2026

Nigel Farage has admitted his close friend the fraudster George Cottrell let him use one of his London homes and paid for social media filming before the last election, insisting it was “totally undeclarable in every single way.” The Reform UK leader spoke in depth for the first time about his support from Cottrell and the £5m gift from the Thailand-based businessman Christopher Harborne in an interview with the anti-woke Triggernometry podcast.

Farage defends undeclared support from fraudster friend

Farage acknowledged the parliamentary standards system could find against him but claimed he had sought advice from a “top international lawyer” who told him the £5m did not need to be declared because it was unconditional. In relation to Cottrell, Farage said his friend had given him nothing since he was elected in July 2024 and that financial support before then was “irrelevant” and unrelated to politics.

The Reform UK leader also claimed his party was being unfairly targeted over a £500,000 donation to the party from Cottrell’s mother, Fiona, which is under investigation by the police over whether she is the true source of the funding. However, in an apparent slip of the tongue, Farage referred to it as being a donation from Cottrell himself, before correcting himself to say it was from his mother.

Key allegations and timeline

• George Cottrell, a convicted fraudster, provided free use of a London home and paid for social media filming before the 2024 general election.
• Christopher Harborne gave a £5m gift to Farage just before the last election, which Farage claims is unconditional and undeclarable.
• The £500,000 donation from Fiona Cottrell, George Cottrell’s mother, is under police investigation for potential false source of funding.
• The standards commissioner is investigating whether these supports should have been publicly registered within 12 months of Farage being elected as an MP.

Comparison of financial support under investigation

Farage claims coordinated attack on Reform UK

Farage argued that the timing of the stories is politically motivated. “The idea that his donation – it was his mother’s donation – this was reported to the NCA [National Crime Agency] in September 2024. The police followed up in the spring of 2025. Why is it now a story? It’s now a story because everything is being coordinated together to try and knock us out of the game. That’s why I’m fighting this byelection. I’m saying: let the people decide.”

Farage’s support in kind from Cottrell and the £5m from Harborne just before the last election are currently under investigation by the standards commissioner over whether they should have been publicly registered. Financial support has to be declared within 12 months of an MP being elected.

FAQ