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🚨 NEW: The Lib Dems have reported Reform UK to the police over the alleged secret donations uncovered by Channel 4 and Verbatim

🚨 NEW: Reform UK and Nigel Farage have been caught potentially breaking electoral law - Verbatim ran a year-long undercover investigation, verified by Channel 4 News - Investigators posed as the British-based son of wealthy American donor, who was looking to give money to Reform UK - Because the donor was based in the US, he couldn't legally donate directly to the party - James Orr, Reform UK's Head of Policy, and Dan Jukes, a close aide to Nigel Farage, then allegedly helped arrange for a US company, which was actually set up by Verbatim, to pay for three polls commissioned by Reform UK - The three JL Partners polls cost £32,500 and were paid by Verbatim. Two were published in The Telegraph before the May elections - "Labour would face wipeout if elections went ahead" and "Two thirds of voters want Starmer out" - while The Times published "Reform vote in unions at same level as Labour" - Nigel Farage later met the undercover team in Clacton and praised the polling, saying "it worked, boom" and that it was "bang for buck" - The polls were presented as independent and the public was not told that Reform UK had commissioned them or a US company paid for them. The US company and supposed American donor were not legal donors under UK electoral law - Electoral Commission rules say political donations can include funding that helps a party cover costs and expenses, including research and studies, but the payments do not appear to have been declared to the Electoral Commission, despite reporting deadlines passing - Jukes allegedly later proposed a way to arrange a £500,000 donation from the US through the donor's UK-based son, who would appear to be the donor. The investigation says this arrangement would be illegal - At a Reform reception, Jukes allegedly introduced the undercover reporter as a "key donor for off the book project". The fake donor then allegedly met Suella Braverman, Sarah Pochin, Robert Jenrick and Danny Kruger - Legal expert and former Electoral Commission chief Bob Posner says the allegations should now be subject to a criminal investigation - The proposed £500,000 donation was never made - Reform UK, Farage, Jukes and James Orr did not comment but are understood to deny the allegations in full

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