STORY
Nigel Farage is facing questions over his previous claim that a second parliamentary standards investigation had been opened into his finances. The Reform UK leader made the statement when he resigned as MP for Clacton in July, arguing that the parliamentary standards system had been used as a political tool.
Parliament’s published list currently records one investigation into Farage, opened in May under the rule covering the registration of interests. The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards has been considering separate information concerning reported payments by George Cottrell for social media work, accommodation and security before the 2024 general election, but there has been no official confirmation that the existing inquiry has been widened or that a second one has begun.
Farage has said the social media work was personal rather than political and has compared his activities before returning to Parliament to those of an online influencer. He has since been returned as the MP for Clacton following a by-election. The Commissioner has declined to comment publicly on whether the scope of the investigation will change.