Labour calls for Electoral Commission probe into Reform UK overspend claim

Britain’s elections watchdog has been urged to open an investigation into Reform UK’s election expenses, amid allegations of a campaign overspend in Nigel Farage’s Clacton constituency.

Labour chairwoman Anna Turley called on Mr Farage to “urgently come out of hiding” and explain whether his party spent more than the £20,660 limit while campaigning in the Essex patch.

She has also written to the Electoral Commission calling for it to look into the allegations.

As first reported by the Daily Telegraph, former Reform councillor and member of Mr Farage’s campaign team, Richard Everett, has claimed Reform failed to declare spending on leaflets, banners, utility bills and the refurbishment of a bar in its Clacton campaign office.

He alleges the party’s official returns report came just £400 under the spending limit set by electoral law, and the undeclared spending would have put it above the cap.

Essex Police is currently assessing the allegations.

In her letter to the Electoral Commission, Ms Turley said: “If expenditure that ought to have been declared in Mr Farage’s return in Clacton has been included in Reform’s national spending return, or elements of national party expenditure have not been declared at all, there is a real risk that Reform’s party spending return is inaccurate or incomplete, which is a matter for the Electoral Commission.”

Potential breaches of elections law “should be taken extremely seriously”, she said, urging the commission to “open an investigation into this matter to establish the facts”.

The Labour chairwoman elsewhere called on Mr Farage to address the allegations.

She said: “These allegations are incredibly serious. Nigel Farage is treating the British people with contempt by staying silent – he needs to urgently come out of hiding on this issue. His constituents and the wider public deserve to be reassured that neither he nor his party have broken the law.

“Whether it be racism allegations, his refusal to investigate pro-Russian links, or now serious questions over whether his own election campaign broke the rules, Nigel Farage has proven he can’t shake these issues off with bluster alone. He prides himself on being straight talking, yet he can’t find the words to shut these issues down.

“Nigel Farage needs to be open and honest with the public, and prove this isn’t just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to allegations of criminality under his leadership of Reform.”

Reform has strenuously denied the allegations, with a party spokesman having said: “The party denies breaking electoral law. We look forward to clearing our name.”

He also described the claims has having come from “disgruntled former councillor” Mr Everett, who defected from the Conservatives to Reform last year, and has since left the party to now sit as an Independent.

The Electoral Commission was contacted for comment.