![\"BGUK_2883596](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/SEI_198498844-c585.jpg\")
\n\t\tFarage and Cottrell have been close allies for years (Picture: BACKGRID)<\/p>\n
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\n\t\tFarage and Cottrell have been close allies for years (Picture: BACKGRID)<\/p>\n
Nigel Farage<\/a> is facing fresh accusations he broke MPs\u2019 rules by failing to declare financial benefits he received from a convicted criminal in the year before he entered Parliament<\/a>.<\/p>\n Staffing, security and housing was allegedly supplied to the Reform UK leader by his long-time aide George Cottrell.<\/p>\n The Sunday Times<\/a> reports that Cottrell recruited and paid three staff to work<\/a> on Farage\u2019s social media<\/a> before the 2024 general election.<\/p>\n The newspaper also claims that Farage has continued to use a property rented by Cottrell near Buckingham Palace<\/a>.<\/p>\n Under parliamentary rules, new MPs must declare financial interests and \u2018registrable benefits\u2019 received in the 12 months before their election.<\/p>\n \t\t \t\t\t\tEverything is changing, all the time\t\t\t<\/p>\n Cut through political noise and understand how the Westminster chaos actually affects your life with Metro’s politics newsletter Alright, Gov? Sign up here<\/a>.<\/p>\n While Farage did register a \u00a39,253 trip to Belgium<\/a> and a \u00a315,276 US domestic flight, both donated by Cottrell, he has not listed any other support from the backer in the Register of Members\u2019 Financial Interests.<\/a><\/p>\n The Brexit campaigner is already facing an investigation by the Commons sleaze watchdog over an undeclared \u00a35 million gift from Christopher Harborne<\/p>\n Reform UK has denied that any parliamentary rules had been broken over his relationship to Cottrell and called the Sunday Times\u2019 story \u2018baseless\u2019.<\/p>\n Robert Jenrick, Reform\u2019s Economic spokesman, said during interviews this morning that \u2018no rules had been broken whatsoever. This is a very old story that has been dredged up\u2026 to try and drag Nigel down\u2019.<\/p>\n Cottrell, who is a long-standing ally of Farage from his time as a UKIP volunteer, was jailed for eight months in the US in 2017 after pleading guilty to a charge of wire fraud.<\/p>\n He was arrested as he and Farage were travelling back to the UK following a trip to the US.<\/p>\n Cottrell, who calls Farage \u2018Daddy\u2019, admitted attempting to defraud criminals on the dark web by posing as a money launderer.<\/p>\n The Farage-ally is described by the Sunday Times as a cryptocurrency entrepreneur and is involved in offshore gambling site Tether.bet.<\/p>\n In the year before the 2024 general election, Cottrell allegedly recruited and paid people to revamp Farage\u2019s social media, transforming his online profile into one of the most influential in the country.<\/p>\n The Sunday Times reports that Farage continues to use Cottrell\u2019s ultra-luxury Georgian townhouse close to Buckingham Palace.<\/p>\n Cottrell\u2019s lawyer told the paper: \u2018As a close friend, our client did, and does, allow Mr Farage to stay in our client\u2019s rental property.\u2019<\/p>\n However, a source denied to the BBC<\/a> that Farage received accommodation from Cottrell.<\/p>\n \t\t Jenrick told the BBC\u2019s Laura Kuenssberg that Cottrell \u2018did give support\u2019 to Farage before he became an MP.<\/p>\n He added: \u2018He has not done so since he became a Member of Parliament. No rules have been broken whatsoever.<\/p>\n \u2018This is a very old story which has been dredged up The Sunday Times, which is a Labour-supporting newspaper, in order to try and drag Nigel down and it is not going to succeed.\u2019<\/p>\n Reform UK said: \u2018It comes as no surprise that\u00a0The Sunday Times\u00a0has chosen to publish this baseless and contrived story, covering a period of time when Nigel Farage was not even an active politician, let alone an elected one, given that the newspaper backed the Labour Party at the last general election.<\/p>\n \u2018Contrary to the story\u2019s tone, no parliamentary rules have been broken.\u2019<\/p>\n A Labour Party spokesperson said: \u2018Nigel Farage and Reform are engulfed in a huge and growing scandal. It\u2019s not going to go away, and trying to take the public for fools by saying it\u2019s \u2018none of your business\u2019 won\u2019t help.<\/p>\n \u2018These new allegations of secret payments from a wealthy convicted criminal are on top of the ongoing scandal of his secret \u00a35m gift from a crypto billionaire. How much money has he been given, what did his donors get in return, and why has he tried to cover them up and avoid legitimate questions?<\/p>\n \u2018Time and again, Farage pretends to be on the side of working people. In reality, he\u2019s just in it for himself and can be bought by the highest bidder. He\u2019s completely unfit for high office.\u2019<\/p>\n Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk<\/a>.<\/p>\n For more stories like this, check our news page<\/a>.<\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow![\"George](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/SEI_64345079-86c2.jpg\")
\n\t\tGeorge Cottrell pleaded guilty to wire fraud in 2017<\/p>\n![\"?](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/SEI_204601005-8c9b.jpg\")
\n\t\tCottrell allegedly recruited and paid three staff to work<\/a> on Farage\u2019s social media<\/a> before the 2024 general election (Picture: Ben Cawthra\/LNP)<\/p>\n
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