The mother of a convicted fraudster who bankrolled Nigel Farage’s social media staff and security has been interviewed under criminal caution by Scotland Yard detectives investigating donations to Reform UK, the Guardian understands.
Fiona Cottrell, who once dated King Charles, made two £250,000 payments to the party before the last general election in 2024 – the first appearing on 9 May, the second on 29 May, just weeks before polling day. The Metropolitan Police confirmed two people had been interviewed under caution, no arrests had been made, and an investigation into donations to a political party is ongoing.
“Met police investigate £500,000 in Reform UK donations from convicted fraudster's mother; Farage faces by-election poll blow.”
The investigation, which has been running for more than a year, is examining alleged offences under section 61 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 – designed to stop the evasion of restrictions on donors. The Times reported that the inquiry relates to allegations of concealing or disguising donations derived from an “impermissible” donor, or the use of “false” information about a donation.
George Cottrell, Farage’s close political ally who pleaded guilty to fraud in the United States and spent eight months in jail, was also interviewed under caution, sources told the Guardian. His lawyers previously stated that “his mother’s donations have been entirely her own decision”, and that suggestions he “has donated impermissibly to Reform UK are unfounded”. Reform sources insisted no party officials have been interviewed by police.
The pressure on Farage intensified as a YouGov poll revealed that one in three British adults (33 per cent) would rather see parody candidate Count Binface win the Clacton by-election than have the Reform leader re-elected. Only 21 per cent said they wanted Farage to keep his seat, while 74 per cent believed the parliamentary standards commissioner should investigate him.
Farage resigned as Clacton MP and triggered a by-election in which he is standing again, but mainstream parties have refused to participate, leaving Count Binface as his likely main opponent. The investigation is expected to take many more months, with police seeking disclosure from banks and other financial institutions.