Nigel Farage Received Security and Staff From Convicted Fraudster Before 2024 Election

A Liberal Democrats MP called on Sunday for a parliamentary standards investigation into whether Nigel Farage failed to declare benefits he received from a convicted fraudster in the 12 months before his election as Clacton MP in July 2024. Josh Babarinde wrote to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards on 5 July 2026, stating there is a serious question as to whether Farage met his obligations under the MPs’ code of conduct.

The code requires new members to declare any benefit worth more than 300 pounds received in the 12 months before their election if it is related to their political activities.

The Sunday Times reported that Farage received security, drivers, staff and accommodation paid for by George Cottrell, 32, who was jailed in the United States in 2017 after pleading guilty to wire fraud in a money laundering conspiracy. Cottrell recruited and paid three staff to work on Farage’s social media before the election and allowed Farage to use a five-storey Georgian townhouse he rented near Buckingham Palace.

The last payment for private security occurred between January and March 2024.

Farage declared only one benefit from Cottrell on his election, worth about 9,200 pounds, for travel to a conservative conference in Belgium. Cottrell confirmed through lawyers that he had hired staff in Farage’s private office and paid them by bank transfer.

” Farage is already under investigation by the parliamentary standards commissioner for accepting five million pounds from cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne to fund his security.