Nigel Farage is currently under scrutiny by Parliament for a delayed disclosure of interests. The investigation, initiated by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards on October 30, pertains to Farage’s income and overseas visits.
The focus of the inquiry seems to be on his failure to officially register a trip to Florida where he headlined a fundraising event for Donald Trump earlier this year. At this event, Farage was the keynote speaker at a Republican party dinner in Tallahassee, where attendees could pay $500 for a standard ticket or £18,445 for a VIP package that included a photo opportunity with the Clacton MP.
Farage attributed the omission to an oversight by his office, stating that the details of the trip were sent via email but not properly recorded in the parliamentary transparency logs. He acknowledged the error and committed to rectifying the oversight by updating the records and issuing an apology.
According to parliamentary regulations, MPs are required to declare any international trips exceeding £300 in cost, not fully funded by the MP or public funds, within 28 days. In response to the situation, a Labour source criticized Farage for his absence in Parliament and his recent policy announcements, accusing him of being disconnected from the public.
Additionally, Lib Dem Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper called for transparency regarding Farage’s financial dealings related to Trump’s dinner. Despite a previous investigation into Farage’s ownership of an undisclosed fishing boat, it was determined that the vessel belonged to a company associated with the Reform UK MP and was not his personal asset.
Recent reports have revealed Farage as the highest-earning MP in Parliament, with income from various roles exceeding one million pounds since his election. His extensive involvement in external activities, amounting to an estimated 25 hours per week, has contributed to his significant earnings and property investments post-Brexit.
Despite attempts to reach Reform UK for comment on the matter, they have not responded.