The Reform UK leader has failed to declare free help he received from a firm run by a Steve Bannon spokesperson and Trump advisor
A formal complaint has been sent to the parliament’s standards commissioner over Nigel Farage’s failure to declare advice from a US PR firm for a second time.
Capital HQ, a firm run by Alexandra Preate, a former spokesperson for Donald Trump strategist Steve Bannon, helped Farage with US speaking engagements, political meetings, media appearances and travel since February 2023.
Trump has now appointed Preate as senior counselor to Scott Bessent, the treasury secretary.
The Good Law Project found that Farage received this media support for free and, since becoming an MP, has failed to declare it in his register of interests.
Jo Maugham, director of the Good Law Project, has written to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, to ask why Nigel Farage did not make a declaration.
Parliament’s code of conduct requires MPs to declare donations over £1,500 from a single source in a year, as well as “support in kind” if provided either free or at concessionary rates, including advice or information services, receptions and events, training or development for the member of his or her staff.
According to the documents filed with the US Department of Justice, Farage was in touch with the firm via “telephone, email and text” almost every day between 27 September and 17 February, including Christmas.
Back in October, a Guardian and Good Law Project investigation revealed that Farage had failed to declare support from Capital HQ for hotels, transport and media appearances in the States over the summer.
When the Guardian asked why Farage had not made a declaration, his spokesperson said: “Nigel Farage is a politician, not an accountant.”
Last month, the Guardian reported that the MP’s trip to meet Elon Musk in Florida was part-funded by the convicted fraudster, George Cottrell.
Last year, Farage earned £189,000 for promoting gold for the dealer Direct Bullion, but he initially failed to declare the role in the MPs’ register of interests.
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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