Farage must prove Russian hack claims about £5m donation leak, Labour chairwoman insists
A Reform UK spokesperson said: “It has been reported to the relevant authorities."
Labour’s chairwoman has written to Nigel Farage, urging him to say which authorities are looking into an alleged Russian hack behind the disclosure of a £5 million gift he received.
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Anna Turley challenged Mr Farage to publicly confirm he reported the suspected attack to either the police or the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).
She said if the MP for Clacton, Essex, failed to respond, the Labour Party would make a report itself “in the public and national interest”.
A Reform UK spokesperson said: “It has been reported to the relevant authorities.
“It would be inappropriate to comment further while investigations are ongoing.”
Mr Farage received £5 million from Thailand-based crypto-entrepreneur Christopher Harborne in 2024, before he stood in the general election that year.
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He has previously said the money was for non-political purposes, to pay for his safety and security, and later told The Sun it was a “reward for campaigning for Brexit for 27 years”.
A party source reportedly told the Mail On Sunday that forensic analysis of Mr Farage’s phone by “counter-espionage experts” indicated that “hostile state actors, almost certainly linked to Moscow, had used ‘spear phishing’ tactics to compromise his phone, email and bank accounts”.
Mr Farage told the newspaper: “These actions by Russia are deeply concerning and highlight the threat they pose to British security.”
Former NCSC boss Professor Ciaran Martin on Monday appeared to cast doubt over Mr Farage’s analysis, saying it was “without any merit”.
According to The Guardian newspaper, he said: “An aspiring prime minister has essentially claimed that Russia has launched an unprecedentedly aggressive intervention – a malicious intervention – in British politics, and he’s not produced a shred of evidence to support that claim.”
Ms Turley said she was “very concerned to read” that Mr Farage was allegedly hacked.
“If your suspicions are correct, this would constitute a serious cybercrime and a potential hostile-state operation directed at the leader of a British political party,” she told the party leader.
“I note that public reporting does not appear to confirm that this matter has been reported either to the police or to the National Cyber Security Centre.
“Instead, the reports state that you privately commissioned analysis from unnamed ‘counter-espionage experts’, who concluded that ‘hostile state actors, almost certainly linked to Moscow, had used spear phishing tactics’ to compromise your phone email and bank accounts.
“Quite apart from the implications for you personally, the alleged crime is an incredibly serious one with potential wider implications for Britain’s national security, the integrity of our politics and public confidence in our democratic system.”
Ms Turley asked Mr Farage to “please confirm when the report was made and to which authority”.
She continued: “If you have not done so, please explain why not, given the seriousness of the allegation.
“If we do not receive confirmation within 24 hours that this matter has been reported to the police, the Labour Party will, in the public and national interest, report the matter ourselves to the police and the relevant national security authorities, on the basis of your public statements and the published reports.”
A Labour Party spokesperson said: “Russian interference in our politics is incredibly serious and all political parties have a responsibility to challenge it head on and ensure any potential instances of foreign interference are reported quickly to the relevant authorities for thorough investigation to safeguard our national security.”
The spokesperson added Mr Farage “can’t keep stonewalling this issue and changing his story”.