NIGEL Farage should resign as Reform UK leader – and the police must investigate allegations of criminality at the top of the party, First Minister John Swinney has said.
The SNP leader spoke out after an undercover investigation by journalists at Verbatim led to allegations that two of Farage’s closest aides had conspired to break electoral law.
Video evidence first reported by Channel 4 showed that James Orr, the party’s head of policy, and Dan Jukes, Farage’s right-hand man, had planned for Reform UK to accept donations from a US donor through his UK-based son, an arrangement which would be illegal.
The pair are also alleged to have knowingly accepted three “donations in kind” from a US donor in the form of polling aimed at winning Reform UK favourable headlines, which would also be illegal.
One video clip appeared to show that Farage was aware that a US donor had paid for the polling, saying: “Yeah. That’s great. It worked. Boom.”
It also suggested he was aware of the unlawful plan to funnel money to the party through the donor's son.
Another clip showed Jukes boasting that he would be Farage’s chief of staff in No 10 and listing off names of foreign-based people who allegedly donate to Reform in breach of electoral law.
Another showed Orr calling the Electoral Commission “completely useless … dumb and ineffective” and bragging that the “reality is we could easily get away with it”.
Both Orr and Jukes left Reform UK on Friday morning, the first day of the party’s conference in Birmingham. However, deputy leader Richard Tice left the door open for them to return pending an investigation.
The Electoral Commission said it had contacted the police, and various opposition parties, including the SNP, have called for the force to take action.
The First Minister said: “Nigel Farage is fundamentally unfit for office and he should resign.”
Nigel Farage is fundamentally unfit for office and he should resign. pic.twitter.com/T0dNLDUsBJ
— John Swinney (@JohnSwinney) September 4, 2026
Speaking to Channel 4, he went on: “The SNP has reported Reform to the police for what looks like completely inappropriate and potentially criminal activity in relation to the soliciting of donations that are outlawed by electoral law.
“We think it's important that this issue is properly and fully examined by the police, which I'm sure will be the case.”
Asked about Reform UK’s Scottish leader Malcolm Offord dismissing the video evidence as a “stitch up by lefties”, Swinney said: “I think what's important is that we all follow electoral law, and if you get involved in conversations about finding ways to get around electoral law, which is what the … evidence suggests, that is completely and utterly unacceptable.”
The First Minister added that from what he had seen of the video shared with Channel 4, "Nigel Farage has been party to these conversations".
Rhun ap Iorwerth, the First Minister of Wales, also hit out at Farage. "Trust in politics comes down to saying what you mean and meaning what you say," the Welsh leader said. "Soliciting potentially illegal donations whilst sipping champagne shatters Farage’s facade of standing with the common man and woman."
A Met Police spokesperson said: “We’re aware of media reporting on Thursday, 3 September involving political party donations and an alleged breach of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 relating to polling.
"We will assess this matter and any information provided to us."
A Reform UK spokesperson said: “Both individuals involved have stepped down from their respective positions pending the outcome of the investigation.
“The party believes it is important that the investigation is allowed to proceed independently and without prejudice. No further comment will be made while the investigation is ongoing.”
