NewsUK NewsNigel FarageReform UK denies any wrongdoing from its leader09:21, 05 Jul 2026Updated 09:24, 05 Jul 2026Nigel Farage was reportedly 'secretly funded' by a convicted criminal in the year before he entered Parliament - potentially breaking MPs' rules by failing to declare the payments. George Cottrell, a long-time aide, is reported to have provided funding for the Reform UK leader's operation - including for staffing, security and housing.‌According to the Sunday Times, Cottrell recruited and paid three staff to work on Mr Farage's social media before the general election in 2024. It says he also continued to allow him to use a five-storey Georgian townhouse he rented near Buckingham Palace.‌After becoming the MP for Clacton, Mr Farage registered a £9,000 trip to Belgium donated by