Reform UK has been reported to the police over allegations it breached political donation rules by having polling paid for by an overseas company.

Nigel Farage’s party took funding from a US firm for three polls it commissioned earlier this year costing £32,500, Channel 4 News reported.

The purported donors were in fact undercover reporters from investigative group Verbatim posing as an American financier and his UK-based son.

Foreign companies are not a permissible source of funding for parties, including for payments for studies and research, and accepting donations from them could constitute a criminal offence.

Reform claimed it was the victim of a hoax. A spokesperson said: “Reform UK has been the target of a hoax perpetuated by foreign-funded, climate change activists posing as would-be party donors. The party denies any wrongdoing.

“Reform UK has a robust vetting process for prospective donors approved by the Electoral Commission.”

The Liberal Democrats have written to the Metropolitan Police and Electoral Commission. Labour also intends to report the matter to the police, it is understood, and the Greens have called for an investigation.

The Met said it is assessing the reports.

In a letter to the force’s special enquiry team, Lib Dem Cabinet Office spokesperson Lisa Smart wrote: “I am writing to report to your unit a potential serious breach of electoral law, involving the acceptance and concealment of a donation from an impermissible donor.

“The breach raises alarming questions about whether there has been a wider complacency toward foreign interference by the individuals involved.”

Ms Smart said that James Orr, a senior adviser to Mr Farage, facilitating the £32,500 donation from an impermissible donor would mark a breach of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act.

She continued: “The funding appears to have been channelled into political spending on behalf of Reform UK, and therefore a donation in kind, in a manner apparently structured so as to avoid the payment being recorded and reported as a donation to the Electoral Commission. This would constitute a clear breach of section 61 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act.”

Mr Orr, Reform’s policy head who is at the centre of the allegations, said that “no money reached Reform UK at all”.

“It was a public poll arranged by an independent person paying an independent pollster, and those polls were published immediately for the general public,” he said in a video posted to X.

It comes at a sensitive moment for Reform, members of which have gathered for its annual conference in Birmingham with Mr Farage set to deliver his comeback speech on Friday afternoon.

Mr Farage is already under investigation by the parliamentary watchdog over a £5 million donation he received just before becoming an MP from crypto billionaire Chris Harborne, which he failed to declare.

The Reform UK leader has always insisted the money was a private gift for his personal security and not political, so it did not need to be declared.

But other questions have been raised about gifts and donations from his long-term associate George Cottrell, known as Posh George, and his mother.

The latest allegations also come as Reform has been sliding in the polls, averaging around 23 per cent. This is around 10 points down from last year, and the party is trailing Labour in most surveys.

A More in Common poll earlier this week also had Kemi Badenoch’s Tories ahead of Reform.

Mr Farage hoped to have drawn a line under the allegations with his by-election victory in Clacton last month, but the sting operation took place while he was campaigning there.

Labour Party chair Bridget Phillipson said: “This scandal goes right to the top of Reform UK. Nigel Farage needs to urgently prove today that his top team haven’t broken the law and secretly plotted to undermine our democracy.

“It’s not just Farage’s secret £5 million ‘gift’. Time and again he and his mates think the rules don’t apply to them. The sleaze and scandal now engulfing him and his party isn’t going away – it’s getting worse.

“It’s time to stop the deflections and desperate excuses. Farage and Reform must co-operate with the authorities to establish the truth and prove just how deep this scandal goes.”

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey told Channel 4 News: “Let’s not pre-empt the police investigation and what the Electoral Commission find. But if they are found guilty, he (Mr Farage) should face the full force of the law, and that could be very, very heavy fines. It could even be a prison sentence.”

Green Party leader Zack Polanski said: “These very serious claims should be fully investigated by the Electoral Commission and the police.

“There are millions of reasons why Nigel Farage is happy to take money from billionaires, climate science deniers and secret foreign backers, and not one of them is because he has any interest in improving people’s lives.”

Chair of the Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee, Dame Emily Thornberry, said: “It is a criminal offence to knowingly receive a donation for a political party from a foreigner with no connection to the UK.

“What has been caught on camera by Channel 4 looks to be very serious indeed. I expect the police to investigate.

“We must protect our democracy from foreign interference and keep all dodgy money out.”

A Met Police spokesperson said: “We’re aware of media reporting on Thursday 3 September involving political party donations and an alleged breach of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 relating to polling.

“We will assess this matter and any information provided to us.”

An Electoral Commission spokesperson said: “The law requires political parties to report all permissible donations they accept with a value over £11,180 and all impermissible donations over £500.

“Information about any potential attempt to evade the controls on donations is for the police to consider.”

I READ The Press’ excellent article from Emma Clayton about sandwiches with great interest.

I am now quite ancient, originally from the East End of London, and when I first came to York many years ago went in to a popular cafe in the city and ordered a bacon sandwich, only to be astounded when it arrived at my table.

A large flaccid very soft flat bread roll containing four shrivelled pieces of dubious-looking bacon!

I took it over to the servery and spoke (very politely) to the lady serving there and said that I had ordered a ‘sandwich’ not a bread roll.

She looked at me quizzically and said it was a ‘sandwich’, bacon and a bread bun!

I am very careful these days to specify my desires when ordering any sort of ‘sandwich’

anywhere.

Phill Thomas,

Brecksfields,

Skelton

Read more:

Why this is the wrong move and a waste of money

IN trying to justify the latest ATTRO (Anti Terror Traffic Regulation Order) officials say they are seeking to reduce vehicle attacks.

It is not vehicles that attack us. It is certain people who get into those vehicles that are the problem. People who support an ideology that is completely alien to British values and Western civilisation.

Those people can just as easily kill with a backpack full of explosives, firearms and knives as they can by driving vehicles into pedestrians.

The money being spent on futile traffic restrictions would be far better expended on tackling the root cause of the problem and dealing with those that seek to destroy our society.

Matthew Laverack,

Lord Mayors Walk,

York

—

Can you help and donate to flood appeal?

DEVASTATING flash floods struck Nepal at the end of August, affecting around 65,000 people, including more than 22,000 children.

Many people remain missing, and communities are facing an uncertain future after homes, livelihoods and vital infrastructure were swept away.

Entire villages in the flood’s path have been largely destroyed.

In response, international disaster relief charity ShelterBox has launched an urgent appeal to help families who have lost everything and are now in desperate need of safe shelter and essential household items.

In disasters such as this, ShelterBox works closely with local partners, including Rotary members, to understand people’s needs in Nepal and help ensure support reaches those most affected.

Together, we are preparing to provide emergency items including blankets, sleeping mats, pillows and tarpaulins, helping families protect themselves from the elements as they begin the difficult task of rebuilding their lives.

ShelterBox has a long history of responding to disasters in Nepal, including the 2015 earthquake, as well as major flooding across South Asia. That experience is helping us prepare to support families affected by these latest floods.

Every donation, no matter the size, can help provide urgently needed support. I would urge your readers to consider donating to the appeal or sharing information about it. At a time when many families have lost loved ones, their homes and any sense of certainty about the future, public support can make a real difference.

To find out more or donate, visit shelterbox.org

Alice Jefferson

Head of Emergency Response and Preparedness

ShelterBox

—

What do you think?

Feel strongly about an issue? Write us a letter. Please write no more than 250 words and you must provide your full name, address and mobile number. Send your views by email to: letters@thepress.co.uk

Write a comment

Join the debate and leave a comment in our comments section below this article – we may use your comments for a follow up article.

The Stig was one of Top Gear’s most iconic and mysterious characters – now the identities of all drivers who played him have been confirmed after much debate among fans

Some say he can communicate with pigeons, and balance 14 spoons on the tip of his nose at a moments’ notice – all we know is, he’s called The Stig. The legendary Top Gear figure made his debut in 2002 – and gained even greater fame through host Jeremy Clarkson’s weird and wonderful introductions of him.

For years, audiences attempted to learn The Stig’s true identity, but the mystery only added to the intrigue as the show continued. Now, it has been revealed The Stig was played by three professional racing drivers, with each sharing their stories throughout the years.

Who was The Stig?

The Stig was developed for the relaunched edition of Top Gear in 2002 by Jeremy Clarkson and producer Andy Wilman.

His primary responsibility was to evaluate vehicles around the programme’s renowned circuit at Dunsfold Aerodrome and establish lap times.

He also assisted in coaching celebrities participating in the “Star in a Reasonably Priced Car” segment.

The running gag was that nobody understood who The Stig truly was. He never uttered a word on camera, maintained his helmet throughout and was consistently presented with Clarkson’s celebrated “Some say” characterisations.

The original Black Stig – Perry McCarthy

The initial Stig was Perry McCarthy, a former Formula One driver who donned a completely black racing suit.

McCarthy portrayed The Stig from 2002 until 2003, featuring in the opening two series before the character was dramatically “killed off” when he purportedly drove a Jaguar off an aircraft carrier. His identity was ultimately uncovered, partly through his autobiography, prompting the programme to introduce a new Stig clad in white.

The White Stig – Ben Collins

The Stig most viewers likely recall was Ben Collins, a professional racing driver who assumed the role in 2003.

For years, fans attempted to determine who lurked beneath the white helmet, with Collins frequently connected to the position.

In 2010, the BBC found itself embroiled in a legal dispute regarding Collins’ autobiography, which disclosed his identity as The Stig.

Collins possessed a motorsport pedigree and had also served as a stunt driver, including on Quantum of Solace, rendering him an ideal candidate for the part.

Was Michael Schumacher The Stig?

In 2009, Top Gear seemingly unveiled The Stig’s identity at last – with seven-time Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher removing the helmet.

However, it was merely a prank.

Schumacher completed a lap in the reasonably priced car before Clarkson essentially confirmed that he wasn’t genuinely The Stig.

Collins remained the individual beneath the white suit during that period.

The final Stig – Phil Keen

Following Collins’ departure from the programme in 2010, another driver stepped in.

The third Stig was Phil Keen, who continued in the role until Top Gear concluded in 2022.

Keen holds the distinction of being the most accomplished driver in British GT history, having secured runner-up in the premier class on three occasions.

After his time on Top Gear, he now races in the European Le Mans Series for JMW Motorsport.

Jeremy Clarkson subsequently confirmed Keen’s identity in 2024, revealing the three principal Stigs were Perry McCarthy, Ben Collins and Phil Keen.

Rescuers in Nepal pulled two workers alive from a hydropower project tunnel on the Trishuli river during an ongoing operation on Friday, officials said.

Nepalese lawmaker Shri Ram Neupane posted the second rescue on his Facebook page shortly after army spokesperson Brigadier General Raja Ram Basnet confirmed the first trapped worker’s rescue from the tunnel at the Upper Trishuli 3A site.

The workers were rescued nine days after flash floods, likely caused by a glacier collapse, devastated entire towns and valleys along the Nepal-China border.

The rescued workers were Sanjay Sah, a mechanical foreman, and Kabir Maharjan, a mechanical supervisor, energy minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha’s office said in a statement.

Mr Maharjan cannot move his hands and legs but Mr Sah’s injuries are not critical. They are being taken to a hospital in Kathmandu.

Mr Maharjan’s brother said he had not received any news officially but had been told to go to the hospital”.

“I have ⁠been hearing from the news that my brother ‌has been found. ​The entire family is ‌very happy,” Amir Maharjan said.

The 26 August floods killed at least 1,259 people and left more than 5,000 missing, according to Nepal’s national disaster management agency.

China said 21 people were killed and 541 were missing on its side of the border in Tibet.

Rescue efforts are increasingly centred on hydroelectric project tunnels along the Trishuli river where authorities believe that many workers remain alive after being cut off by floodwaters and debris.

Nearly 900 workers are still missing from 12 hydropower projects in the country, with 500 believed to be trapped in tunnels, according to local authorities.

At the Upper Trishuli 3A facility, it took rescue workers almost six days to find the tunnels because of thick ‌mud.

Rescuers said there was a dry chamber inside and expected oxygen to be flowing through the tunnel. They were also using pipes to push oxygen inside.

The funeral of Jakub Matusiak – one of the five people in the Volkswagen Passat who died in the South Bank crash on August 22 – is set to take place tomorrow (September 4). 

The head-on crash, which took place between a marked Cleveland Police armed response vehicle and the Passat, which was travelling the wrong way, also took the lives of PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough. 

Several schools, as well as Normanby Medical Centre on Normanby Road, have today announced that they will be closing early due to the disruption expected by the funeral. 

It will take place at St John the Evangelist Church on Normanby Road. 

Earlier today, the Shadow Education Secretary said children should not be kept out of classrooms and called on Education Secretary Lucy Powell to “ensure that this does not impact on the honest and decent pupils, parents and teachers”. 

Now, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council leader, Cllr Alec Brown, has said it is “awful” that children’s education is being disrupted. 

He also issued a clear message that any dangerous riding, reckless driving, or antisocial behaviour is not acceptable.

He said: “I fully understand that funerals are deeply personal occasions, and I respect the right of families to grieve. 

Two police officers are among seven people who have died following a devastating crash on the A66 in Teesside (Image: North News & Pictures Ltd)

“But I am deeply concerned that schools in our area have felt they have no option but to close early because of fears about the impact on our roads, including the potential presence of large numbers of motorcycles, quad bikes and other vehicles.

“Our children should be able to attend school safely and without their education being affected by events happening elsewhere. 

“Parents should not be put in the position of having to make alternative arrangements for their children because schools are worried about road disruption or potentially dangerous behaviour.

“And potentially losing income for work.

“I think it is awful that our children’s education is being disrupted because of concerns about what might happen on our roads.

“If anyone intends to use tomorrow as an excuse for dangerous riding, reckless driving, road blockages or antisocial behaviour, my message is clear: that is not acceptable.

“Our children, teachers and families should not have to bear the consequences.

“As leader of Redcar and Cleveland Council, I am seeking assurances that everything possible is being done to keep our communities safe and minimise disruption.

“We can show compassion for grieving families while still being absolutely firm about protecting our children, our roads and our communities.”

A spokesperson for the council said the decision to close schools early followed discussions between local headteachers and the authority over anticipated traffic and transport disruption.

They said the decision was made after “careful consideration of the potential impact on home-to-school transport and the departure of pupils, staff and families at the end of the school day”.

Jakub Matusiak, 23. (Image: SOCIAL MEDIA)

They said: “Schools have worked with the local authority and transport providers to consider arrangements for pupils, including those who travel to and from specialist educational settings.

“We recognise that early closure may cause inconvenience for some parents and carers, and we thank them for their understanding and co-operation.”

Planned school closures tomorrow include:

• Archway Academy Teesville: 11.45am
• St Peter’s: 12pm
• South Bank Primary School: 12pm
• Outwood Academy Normanby: 12pm
• St Margaret Clitherow’s Catholic Primary School: 12.15pm
• Mackenzie Thorpe School will be closed all day.
• Nunthorpe is due to remain open as usual.

At South Bank Primary, pupils using local authority transport will be collected from school at 11.30am.

Parents and carers have been advised to collect children from their usual collection points when their school closes.

Children who usually walk home alone can leave at an earlier time to normal.

A previous memorial for Matusiak near the crash site, featuring orange balloons, fireworks and masked bikers, sparked mixed reactions within the local community over the tone of the event.

Police investigations into the circumstances of the collision are continuing.

Earlier this week, a fundraiser launched for the families of the two Cleveland Police officers reached its target, surpassing £1.2 million.

Oliver Battye, 36, had just stolen the gun from a safe in his former father-in-law’s house and had fired it through the window of his own van, leaving bullet holes, before confronting the two builders, who are brothers, said Halima Kamran, prosecuting.

The builders were sitting in their van near Scarborough about to go to their next job when Battye drove up, got out of his own van and pointing the gun at them, told them to get out, leaving the keys behind.

When they froze in terror and didn’t move, he moved the gun closer to the face of one of the brothers, repeated the threat, and they got out.  

Battye tried to start the van, failed, and drove off in his own van.

Defence barrister Jeremy Barton said Battye was experiencing “some kind of breakdown” and had a serious mental health issue when he confronted the two brothers.

“He intended no harm to anyone apart from to himself,” said Mr Barton. “The threat by pointing the gun was never intended to be followed through.”

Judge Simon Hickey said: “The two men didn’t know that.”

He told Battye: “If you point a weapon at two people on a June afternoon, two young men who had no idea what was in the gun, that must be and can only be an immediate custodial sentence.”

He jailed the 36-year-old for 28 months. Battye, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm while committing an attempted robbery on the basis he wanted the builders’ van so he could leave the scene quickly.

The judge read three reports on Battye from a psychiatrist, a probation officer and one on his mental health before passing sentence.

Ms Kamran said the gun was stolen on June 9 from a safe designed to keep firearms. At 2.10pm, the brothers were in the driveway of a property where they had carried out some work when they saw Battye drive past, stop his van 20 yards up the road and approach them.

Police were alerted and spotted Battye at 2.39pm parked up in his van. Battye got out of his van and lay on the ground with the gun alongside him. The prosecution could not say if the gun was loaded when it was pointed at the two brothers, said Ms Kamran.

Mr Barton handed in character references for Battye and said he did “good work in the community” including for a local rugby league club. He said Battye must  have had ammunition for the gun because he had fired it when it made the bullet holes in his windscreen. He said it was an unusual case.

Authorities released police bodycam footage Thursday showing the discovery of a Pennsylvania college student’s body that led to the arrest of her boyfriend, who said in court documents that a “demon” told him to stab her.

The boyfriend’s mother, meanwhile, is accused of helping him cover up the crime, according to state police.

Royce Moser, 18, of North Strabane Township, faces a homicide charge in the death of Karoline Heintz, a student at PennWest California University whose body was found Aug. 20 after she failed to return to the southwestern Pennsylvania college, according to a criminal complaint.

Moser said he became angry with Heintz during a conversation in her vehicle in Moser’s driveway and that he had a “demon take over” and tell him to stab her, according to the police affidavit. A preliminary hearing was held Tuesday for Moser and his mother, Rachel Moser, in Heintz’s death.

An attorney for Royce Moser declined to comment on the charges against him, and a message left for a public defender representing Rachel Moser was not immediately returned.

The 37-minute video released Thursday is from an officer’s body-worn camera. It shows the California, Pennsylvania, police officer walking up to Karoline Heintz’s Jeep in the dark. The officer points a flashlight inside the back window, yells toward another officer nearby, then gets on his radio.

“Control, I need EMS here right now,” the officer said. “I’ve got an unconscious female in the back of this car right now. Any additional units, any in the available area, please.”

An operator radios back, “Is she breathing?”

“Negative,” the officer responds as sirens are heard in the background. “I’ve got blood everywhere.”

The officer then breaks two windows to gain access inside the vehicle.

“Get someone here now,” he said.

According to the affidavit, Moser said he told Heintz, “wait, I have something for you” before retrieving a knife from his home. The victim fell out of her vehicle after being stabbed and Moser put her in the back hatch before getting into the driver’s seat. Moser then asked his mother to follow him to PennWest California University in southwestern Pennsylvania to drop off the vehicle, the affidavit said.

Heintz’s father had asked police to look for his daughter’s vehicle after she failed to return to campus, and indicated an AirTag in the vehicle showed she was in a parking lot, according to a criminal complaint. Police found Karoline Heintz’s body in the vehicle. The AirTag also indicated Heintz had been at Moser’s home earlier.

Royce and Rachel Moser were later located at Rachel Moser’s residence in Beallsville. According to the affidavit, Rachel Moser told her son to bathe and change his clothes, which she placed in a washing machine. She then took the knife and put it in a garbage bag to dispose of in the trash outside her home, according to the affidavit. The knife was retrieved after investigators obtained a search warrant.

Beneath the splendor of its monuments and ruins, Rome is taking aim at a modern-day chariot: the golf cart.

Hundreds of them have started carrying tourists through the historic center. Even rolling along at a moderate speed, these golf carts have so far outpaced regulation. But the city is mounting a crackdown.

For critics, the carts are running amok, parking illegally, worsening congestion and unlocking another level of overtourism. Some local media invoke sensational language, calling it an “invasion” and saying Rome is being “held hostage by golf carts.”

Advocates argue carts are silent, occupy less space than tourist vans and buses, and don’t choke the air with exhaust that also stains historic monuments.

The Associated Press got a taste of the enmity during a late August ride when a black, eight-seater van pulled up alongside.

“You’re in the middle of the road!” its driver barked. “Move it!”

“Always the same! The road isn’t yours!” the golf cart driver shouted back. Both gesticulated angrily with their free hands, following a time-honored Roman traffic tradition.

Carts like this zip through Rome’s cobblestone alleys, past tourists eating spaghetti carbonara from checkered tablecloths and shops hawking hot priest calendars and tote bags stamped with cliches (Ciao Bella!). But there’s no time to buy anything except a cappuccino or gelato; these tours are targeted blitzes on Rome’s hot spots — at least until they collide with authorities.

Best buckle up.

All roads lead to Rome, but good luck parking

Ruth Sanderson from Manchester, England, surprised her husband with the tour for his birthday during their first trip to Rome. They could see the major sights in three hours and “just potter around” for the rest of their short stay, said Sanderson, 50.

Their guide swung around the basilica where Pope Francis is buried then headed to the Spanish Steps, where he parked in an area exclusively for car-sharing — the first of several illegal spots he snagged.

“We don’t have a proper stop for golf carts, so we park where we can — as legal as possible,” driver Martin Halili explained to them.

Even before the golf cart boom, parking was a pain. Cars, vans, Vespas and motorcycles are stationed atop curbs, crosswalks and medians. Trucks double-park while unloading.

Any spare cranny is claimed in Rome’s historic center, because there are only 4,300 regular on-street spots available, about one-quarter the number of cars owned by the area’s residents, according to the city’s transport chief, citing a field survey conducted last year. Plus, an average 50,000 vehicles enter daily. Unsurprisingly, some residents are unhappy.

“This was the last straw because, unfortunately, there has already been traffic here for a long time, since there are too many categories of vehicles authorized,” Luigi la Licata, head of the Monti neighborhood association, told the AP. “The golf cart is the most obvious one — and the latest — but there are many others.”

Golf cart bookings this summer grew 147% from 2024, according to TripAdvisor, whose subsidiary Viator is the biggest source of passengers. Rome has as many as 500 carts, with one-fifth belonging to the Metur association of tour operators, established last December to seek common ground with locals and the city.

“Overtourism is a real problem, and we’re not denying it. And maybe we’re also part of it in a way. But if we’re part of it, then at least be part of it in a smart way,” Pascal van Duijnhoven, the association’s president, said. “We believe, especially for Rome, that it’s a solution. And we really hope that people start looking at it like this. But we need a hand. We need some help from the authorities.”

Regulating golf carts isn’t so easy

Rome’s deputy mayor for sustainable mobility and transport, Eugenio Patanè, is striving to restore order and reduce traffic — and not just golf carts.

In July, electric vehicles started paying for admission to the historic center, as gasoline-powered cars had been — a strategic shift from cutting emissions to tackling congestion. The number of authorized vehicles is down about one-quarter, to 350,000, and Patanè aims to halve the number of daily entrants.

But it hasn’t been so simple to put the brakes on golf carts. First, not all carts are created equal; technical specifications mean some fall under existing rules while others can roam freely. Second, passenger transport and tourism businesses are regulated regionally, Patanè said.

So he requested the region transfer that power to Rome, and anticipates that will occur this month. Then he can present his regulation that would establish fixed tour routes, cap the number of carts of all types and create a system to select operators.

“Cities where this golf cart phenomenon is expanding truly have very few weapons,” he said. “We will be able to regulate this phenomenon that has now become rampant and, in some cases, even worrisome.”

A reckoning is underway

Operators say such proposals would kneecap their nascent industry. Meantime, their carts are already getting curbed.

Authorities stopped vehicles owned by Metur associates 14 times in the back half of August, with reviews of drivers’ documents that lasted up to an hour, van Duijnhoven said, and punishments that were inconsistent and severe. Carts allegedly operating as black-market, private-hire vehicles can be banned from the streets for over a month, or drivers slapped with 4,000-euro ($4,600) fines for unlicensed tour guiding.

One block from the Pantheon, the AP saw an officer from Italy’s financial police inspecting the documents from a cart carrying a family from Florida. During the half-hour stop, he took their IDs and copied down their information. Three nearby private-hire vans — also parked illegally — were receiving no such scrutiny.

Halili, who guided the couple from Manchester and owns Wheel Tours, says private-hire and taxi drivers are bristling at the new kid on the block taking a bite out of their business.

“They have waged a war against us, filing complaints and appeal after appeal, because they are a powerful lobby,” he said. “This is the problem: They have it in for golf carts.”