Scotland Yard is investigating £500,000 in donations made to Reform UK by the mother of a convicted criminal who has close ties to Nigel Farage. The Metropolitan Police have interviewed two individuals under caution as part of a criminal inquiry into the donations, which occurred before the 2024 general election.
The investigation centers on two £250,000 donations from Fiona Cottrell, whose son, George Cottrell, known as 'Posh George,' has provided staffing, security, and accommodation for Farage. The police are examining a section of electoral law that criminalizes evading donation source restrictions by withholding details or providing false information. Penalties for such offenses can include fines or up to a year in prison.
Fiona Cottrell, 67, is the mother of George Cottrell, a crypto-currency entrepreneur based in Montenegro. She is also noted as a former model who reportedly dated King Charles when he was Prince of Wales and is the daughter of the late Rupert Watson, 3rd Baron Manton. Reporters approached Ms. Cottrell at her home in Worcestershire, but she declined to answer questions.
Nigel Farage's relationship with George Cottrell, 32, who was previously jailed in the U.S. in 2016 after being implicated in a money-laundering sting, has drawn recent scrutiny. Mr. Farage has stated that assistance from Mr. Cottrell, which included drivers and the use of a townhouse near Buckingham Palace, did not require declaration to Parliament as it occurred before he became a Member of Parliament.
A spokesperson for Reform UK stated that the party is being targeted by the "establishment media" with "hit jobs and smears" and that these tactics will not deter them from their electoral goals.
The police probe into Ms. Cottrell's donations follows a separate, recent investigation by the Met into a donation made to the campaign of Reform UK MP Robert Jenrick during his bid to become leader of the Conservative Party.