Police are currently looking into £500,000 in donations made to Reform UK by the mother of a convicted fraudster. Fiona Cottrell, the mother of George, a close associate of Nigel Farage, reportedly made two payments of £250,000 each. Investigators are examining whether the origin of the funds was concealed and if they may have come from unauthorized sources, such as individuals not eligible to vote in the UK or foreign-based companies. Political parties are mandated by law to reject donations from such entities.
According to data from the Electoral Commission, Mrs. Cottrell, aged 67, made these donations to Reform UK before the general election, with the transactions registered on May 9 and 29, 2024. These contributions marked her first foray into political donations, following an additional £250,000 donation she made the previous year.
The Electoral Commission alerted the police about this matter, leading to an investigation by the Metropolitan Police. The police statement confirmed that the investigation, initiated in February 2025, pertains to potential violations under section 61 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000. The Crown Prosecution Service has been consulted, and two individuals have been interviewed in connection with the case.
The law referenced in the statement prohibits concealing or disguising the true source of political donations. The Metropolitan Police Service issued a statement regarding the ongoing investigation, declining further comments.
Recent reports suggest that Mrs. Cottrell, who had a brief relationship with King Charles in the 1970s and identified as a retired stylist in a legal document from 2023, remains enigmatic about the origins of her wealth. Additionally, in 2024, she reportedly donated £1 million to Britain Means Business, a fundraising vehicle for Reform UK overseen by Richard Tice, the party’s deputy leader.
Tice expressed surprise at the public disclosure of the police investigation, emphasizing that the leaked information coincided with other controversies involving the National Crime Agency. The scrutiny intensified after allegations surfaced about financial benefits Nigel Farage received from George Cottrell, the convicted fraudster and former associate of Reform UK.
George Cottrell, known as “Posh George,” evaded a lengthy prison sentence in the US through a plea deal, serving eight months for wire fraud. Despite claims that he offered to launder illicit funds, Reform UK denies any breach of conduct by its leader.
Farage, amidst a challenging by-election campaign against Count Binface, faces separate inquiries regarding a £5 million “gift” he received from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne. The failure to declare this sum before the 2024 general election has raised concerns about potential breaches of parliamentary regulations.
Labour chair Anna Turley has called for transparency regarding the financial dealings involving Farage, questioning the nature of donations from individuals with questionable backgrounds. Farage, on his part, has denied any wrongdoing and accused the establishment of orchestrating a smear campaign against him.
Mrs. Cottrell has refrained from commenting on the matter when approached by media outlets. Reform UK has been contacted for further details on the ongoing investigations.