Minister says probe in response to case of ex-Reform UK lawmaker Nathan Gill, jailed for taking pro-Russia bribes.
Printed On 16 Dec 2025
The UK is launching an unbiased investigation into overseas interference in British politics, simply weeks after a former Reform UK lawmaker was jailed for more than 10 years for taking bribes to make pro-Russia statements.
Steve Reed, the UK’s secretary of state for housing, communities and native authorities, mentioned on Tuesday that he had ordered the probe in response to the case of Nathan Gill, a former Member of the European Parliament and ex-leader of Reform UK in Wales.
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“A British politician took bribes to additional the pursuits of the Russian regime,” Reed mentioned within the Home of Commons. “This conduct is a stain on our democracy. The unbiased evaluate will work to take away that stain.”
Gill was sentenced to 10 years and 6 months in jail on November 21.
He pleaded responsible in September to accepting 1000’s of euros from a pro-Russian politician in Ukraine between 2018 and 2019, and making scripted statements and tv appearances at his behest.
The case had spurred widespread condemnation from throughout the political spectrum, with Nigel Farage’s Reform UK occasion – which has been main most polls – final month describing Gill’s actions as “reprehensible, treasonous and unforgivable”.
On Tuesday, Conservative MP Paul Holmes welcomed the unbiased evaluate into overseas interference as a obligatory step.
“Defending the integrity of our democratic system from overseas interference is just not a partisan problem. It goes to the center of public belief in our elections,” Holmes advised the Home.
“Interference in our elections from overseas actors is one thing that we should all be vigilant in opposition to.”
Reed, the housing minister, mentioned the unbiased probe can be led by Philip Rycroft, former UK everlasting secretary for the Division for Exiting the European Union.
“The aim of the evaluate is to offer an in-depth evaluation of the present monetary guidelines and safeguards and make suggestions,” mentioned Reed, including that Rycroft has been requested to report his findings to the federal government by the tip of March.
The minister famous that the British authorities put ahead a strategy “for contemporary and safe elections” earlier this 12 months in a push to handle overseas interference and public mistrust within the electoral system, amongst different points.
However Reed mentioned on Tuesday that “occasions have proven that we have to take into account whether or not our firewall is sufficient”.
“The unbiased evaluate will have a look at this,” he mentioned, together with by evaluating the UK’s current political finance legal guidelines, methods to establish and mitigate overseas interference, and safeguards in opposition to illicit funding streams.
