Nigel Farage had arrangements in place to return as the leader of Reform UK months before the United Kingdom's general election in July 2024, according to claims published by the Sunday Times. The reported negotiations occurred in March and April 2024, ahead of the national ballot.
These arrangements allegedly included a plan for the party to settle over £1 million in outstanding loans owed to a company owned by Richard Tice, the then-leader of Reform UK. The Sunday Times stated that the agreement on the terms for replacing Tice was presented to the party's treasurer, Mehrtash A'Zami, in mid-May 2024.
A'Zami reportedly told the newspaper that he was informed of the agreement before the election was called and that he was instructed to implement it. However, Reform UK has countered these claims, stating that Farage was merely "keeping his options open" by assessing the party's financial liabilities and the loans that would need to be repaid should he decide to resume leadership.
The report also touches upon a £5 million gift Farage received from a Reform donor in early 2024. Farage has maintained that this was a personal gift and did not require declaration to Parliament, as he was a media commentator at the time and not a candidate or party leader.
Farage is currently campaigning in a by-election in Clacton, having resigned as a Member of Parliament to challenge what he describes as "the establishment." The major political parties are not fielding candidates against him in this by-election, with a focus on the outcome of a pending House of Commons standards investigation. This investigation could potentially trigger another by-election. If Farage wins the Clacton by-election on August 13, the investigation into whether he should have declared the gift from cryptocurrency tycoon Christopher Harborne is expected to resume. Donations made within 12 months of an MP entering the Commons must be registered.
A Reform UK spokesperson addressed the loan repayment, suggesting a "mix-up" resulted in one loan installment being paid directly to Tice rather than his company, but insisted the issue was resolved promptly. The party also stated that "all relevant repayments were declared to the Electoral Commission."