Nigel Farage told to come out of hiding' over alleged election overspending

"The Electoral Commission was asked by Labour to look into Reform UK's election expenses after a whistleblower told the Daily Telegraph that it failed to declare spending on leaflets, banners, utility bills and refurbishment of a bar in its Clacton campaign office. Anna Turley, the Labour party chair, called on Farage to urgently come out of hiding and explain whether his party spent more than the 20,660 limit for campaigning."

"In her letter to the Electoral Commission, 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."

Nigel Farage and Reform UK face assessment by the Electoral Commission over alleged overspending in the Clacton campaign by about £9,000. Labour asked the commission to examine Reform's election expenses after whistleblower Richard Everett alleged undeclared spending on leaflets, banners, utility bills and refurbishment of a bar in the Clacton campaign office. Everett claims the declared return was £400 under the legal limit of £20,660 and that undeclared costs would have pushed spending over the cap. The Electoral Commission and Essex police are assessing the information under enforcement procedures. Reform denies breaking electoral law and calls Everett a disgruntled former councillor.

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