Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is facing a parliamentary standards investigation over alleged failure to declare free public relations support from a US firm run by Alexandra Preate, who has now been appointed to Donald Trump’s Treasury team. The inquiry by Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Daniel Greenberg could result in sanctions if the Clacton MP is found to have breached Westminster’s code of conduct.
The investigation, which opened on Monday, centres on potential violations of Rule 5 of the MPs’ code of conduct, which requires parliamentarians to declare any change to their financial interests within 28 days. The probe follows a formal complaint from a member of the House of Lords about support Farage allegedly received from Capital HQ, a rightwing PR consultancy.
A spokesperson for Farage confirmed the investigation, stating: “Following a complaint from a member of the House of Lords, the Commissioner for Standards is doing his job.” The Reform UK leader has not yet commented on the specific allegations.
Trump Treasury Official at Centre of Allegations
The controversy involves Alexandra Preate, 46, who previously served as “personal spokesperson” for Trump strategist Steve Bannon and whose firm Capital HQ has been providing services to Farage since February 2023. Trump appointed Preate as senior counsellor to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent earlier this year.
Documents filed with the US Department of Justice revealed that Capital HQ provided Farage with comprehensive support including speaking engagements, political meetings, media appearances and travel arrangements. The firm was in contact with the MP “via telephone, email and text almost every day” between September 2024 and February 2025, according to filings under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
Jo Maugham, director of the Good Law Project, who submitted the complaint to Greenberg in March, said the support constituted donations that should have been declared. “The globetrotting MP for Clacton has been taking advice from a former spokesperson for the far-right agitator Steve Bannon, but he hasn’t declared it as a benefit,” Maugham stated.
Pattern of Non-Disclosure Allegations
The investigation adds to a series of controversies over Farage’s financial declarations since becoming an MP in July 2024. Previous incidents include his initial failure to declare a £189,000 role promoting gold for Direct Bullion and his position with an anti-World Health Organisation pressure group.
Most notably, an October 2024 Guardian and Good Law Project investigation revealed that Capital HQ had covered £3,000 ($3,800) in hotel costs at the Milwaukee Hilton during Farage’s trip to the Republican National Convention. The MP had claimed he was right to make the trip to support his “friend” Donald Trump but failed to declare the hospitality in his register of interests.
When questioned about the Milwaukee hotel payments, Farage’s spokesperson dismissively responded: “Nigel Farage is a politician, not an accountant.
Westminster Rules on Financial Interests
Under parliament’s code of conduct, MPs must declare donations exceeding £1,500 from a single source within a year, as well as any “support in kind” provided either free or at concessionary rates. This includes advice, information services, receptions, events, and training for the member or their staff.
Rule 5 specifically requires new members to register interests and benefits received in the 12 months before entering Parliament within one month of being elected. MPs must also register any subsequent changes to their interests within 28 days.
Daniel Greenberg CB, who took up the position of Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards in January 2023, has emphasised the importance of MPs upholding the Seven Principles of Public Life. In his annual report, Greenberg noted concerns about MPs’ responsiveness to constituents and the need for maintaining public trust through proper declarations.
Trump Administration Connections
The timing of the investigation is particularly significant given Preate’s recent appointment to the Trump administration. The PR executive, daughter of former Pennsylvania Attorney General Ernie Preate Jr, has deep connections within Republican circles and previously worked closely with economic advisors Larry Kudlow, Arthur Laffer and Stephen Moore.
Her firm Capital HQ has been instrumental in arranging Farage’s numerous trips to the United States, where he has maintained close ties with Trump since their first meeting at a Mississippi fundraising dinner in August 2016. Farage subsequently spoke at Trump rallies and has continued to support him through the 2024 presidential campaign.
Last month, it emerged that Farage’s trip to meet Elon Musk in Florida was part-funded by convicted fraudster George Cottrell, adding to questions about the transparency of his US political activities.
Potential Consequences
While an inquiry does not automatically mean rules have been broken, MPs found to have breached the code of conduct can face various sanctions. These range from requiring an apology to the House to suspension or, in extreme cases, triggering a recall petition that could lead to a by-election.
The investigation comes at a sensitive time for Reform UK, with the party’s chair recently declaring that “Reform stands for the highest standards of conduct in public life.” Fellow Reform MP Rupert Lowe had previously criticised the party’s governance structure, describing it as “a protest party led by the Messiah.
Farage, who represents the Essex constituency of Clacton, has spent considerable time in the United States since his election, leading to criticism about his commitment to constituency duties. His appearance on the US foreign agents database has raised additional questions about the extent of his American political involvement.
The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards is expected to conduct a thorough investigation, which could take several months to complete. If violations are found, the case would be referred to the Committee on Standards for recommendations on appropriate sanctions.
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Image Credit:
Nigel Farage – Image by Gage Skidmore, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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