Key Points
- Police are investigating payments to Reform UK made by Britain Means Business, a company controlled by party deputy leader Richard Tice.
- The firm made two donations of £250,000 in the run-up to the 2024 general election.
- The inquiry is linked to election law rules covering false or misleading donation declarations and the concealment of an impermissible donor’s identity.
- Tice says the money was donated to his company by Fiona Cottrell.
- Earlier reporting also said the payments had been examined through the National Crime Agency’s suspicious activity reports system.
UK (Liverpool standard) July 25, 2026 – Police are investigating whether donations made to Reform UK by Britain Means Business were properly declared and whether the source of the money was accurately recorded, according to BBC News. The company is controlled by Richard Tice, who is the party’s deputy leader, and the donations were made before the 2024 general election. The BBC report says the probe is focused on possible breaches of election rules rather than a political assessment of the party itself.
How much money is involved?
Britain Means Business gave Reform UK two donations totalling £250,000, with each payment worth £125,000, according to the BBC’s report. The donations were made in the run-up to the general election, during a period when Tice was serving as party chairman. Separate earlier reporting had also said that related payments and loans involving Tice-linked entities were flagged through the suspicious activity reporting system used by law enforcement.
What has Richard Tice said?
Tice said the funds had been donated to his company by Fiona Cottrell, whom he described as a prominent Reform UK supporter. The BBC report says he raised concerns about whether police had briefed the media before speaking to the parties involved, and it also notes that he criticised what he described as a politically motivated smear campaign. The BBC has said it reached out to Fiona Cottrell for comment.
What does the law focus on?
The BBC says the inquiry relates to election regulations that prohibit concealing or misrepresenting donations from an “impermissible” donor. Those rules also cover false information about the amount of a donation or the identity of the donor. In practical terms, that means investigators will be looking at whether the party and the company correctly recorded where the money came from and who ultimately controlled it.
Why has this story become significant?
The case has drawn attention because it involves a senior party figure and a company under his control. That makes the source and structure of the donations politically sensitive, especially during an election period when transparency rules are under close scrutiny. Earlier reporting from the BBC also linked Tice-related financial payments to the National Crime Agency’s suspicious activity reports process, adding a wider financial compliance angle to the story.
Background of the development
Reform UK’s finances have been under repeated public scrutiny over the past year, with reporting focusing on donations, loans and the role of Richard Tice-linked companies. The BBC’s latest report sits within that wider context and adds a police investigation into whether the donations to the party were properly handled under election law. Separate reporting in July also said more Reform UK transactions worth millions had been reported to the National Crime Agency, suggesting the issue extends beyond a single donation. The party has consistently faced questions about funding sources, disclosure standards and the relationship between political activity and private business interests.
What could happen next?
For Reform UK supporters, this development may increase pressure on the party to provide clearer explanations of its funding arrangements and donor records. For voters, the case could shape public debate about transparency, trust and compliance in party finances during election periods. If investigators find that reporting rules were breached, the matter could lead to further scrutiny of Reform UK’s funding structure and of the role played by companies linked to its senior figures. If no breach is found, the story may still leave a lasting impact because it has already intensified attention on the party’s financial disclosures.
