At least eight former UKIP or Brexit Party MEPs are reported to have been targeted by the ex-Reform leader in Wales
Three more British MEPs from Nigel Farage’s bloc in the European Parliament allegedly followed Russian asset Nathan Gill’s script.
Gill was sentenced to ten and a half years in prison last month for accepting up to £40,000 in bribes to make pro-Russia statements in the European Parliament and the media.
According to The Guardian, the Crown Prosecution Service has named former UKIP and Brexit Party MEPs Jonathan Bullock, Julia Reid and Steven Woolfe among those who followed talking points given to Nathan Gill.
Oleg Voloshyn, a former Ukrainian pro-Russia MP, gave Gill a script to use when giving interviews to 112 Ukraine, a pro-Russian TV channel in March 2019.
At least eight MEPs elected for UKIP or the Brexit Party, are now known to have been targeted by Reform UK’s former Wales leader, Gill, to co-opt them into carrying out tasks set by his Kremlin paymasters.
There is no suggestion that Bullock, Reid or Woolfe committed criminal acts or that they had been aware Gill took bribes to promote Russian interests.
There is an ongoing police investigation into Russian influence on other MEPs.
Two weeks ago, David Coburn, a former MEP who was a member of UKIP and then the Brexit Party, denied taking pro-Russia bribes.
William Dartmouth and Jonathan Arnott are also reported to have followed Gill’s talking points, though there is no evidence they committed criminal acts.
The chair of the Labour party, Anna Turley MP, said: “He must order an urgent investigation into pro-Russia links in Reform, and he should voluntarily go to the police for interview and help them with their inquiries.”
Bullock denied any wrongdoing when approached by The Guardian. Bullock made comments to 112 Ukraine in 2019, in which he spoke in favour of the sovereignty of nation states.
He said: “I do think that it’s much better for nation states to act individually, so Ukraine’s to do what’s best in Ukraine’s interest and likewise we in western Europe and in the United Kingdom, for example, to do what we would like.”
Bullock told The Guardian that he was a known critic of Russia, adding: “My comment was a standard run-of-the-mill answer from me which I connected with my energy views on UK choices relating to nuclear power and renewables.”
Woolfe declined to comment, but his friend said he felt “personally appalled” about being dragged into the investigation, but said “he has nothing to hide”.
Reid did not respond to requests for comment.
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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