Reform's Robert Jenrick tours Hampshire and denies accepting foreign campaign donations
Reform UK’s Robert Jenrick has hit the campaign trail in Hampshire
Robert Jenrick has denied accepting foreign campaign donations after police assessed evidence, as questions mount over his 2024 leadership bid.
In a recent trip to Sussex and Hampshire, the Reform UK MP answered questions about allegations related to his 2024 Conservative leadership campaign.
The MP for Newark defected to Reform UK in January this year from the Conservative Party, where he held cabinet roles in the housing, immigration and the treasury.
The Electoral Commission is understood to be investigating almost £40,000 to Jenrick’s leadership campaign allegedly donated from a foreign source.
The commission recently confirmed that it sent evidence about a leadership campaign to the Metropolitan Police, who have not confirmed whether it relates to any specific individual.
The investigations stem from allegations that £37,500 of a £100,000 donation to Jenrick from UK company The Spott Fitness actually originated from US businessman Gary Klopfenstein via his US company, Innovyz USA.
Direct donations from foreign individuals or companies are illegal under UK electoral law.
The Local Democracy Reporting Serice asked if he has received any foreign donation, Jenrick replied: “No”.
“The law is very clear on who you can accept donations from.
“I think it should be a British company or a British person in order to give money to British political parties and those are the rules i’ve always abided by
“This is just a politically motivated smear put out by the Tory party who ironically vetted all of these donations back in the day.”
On Monday, the Conservative Party confirmed it has requested a separate parliamentary standards investigation into the donations.
The party is seeking to determine if Mr Jenrick has breached the House of Commons Code of Conduct.
Tory Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake said: “Foreign donations are illegal. Politicians who funnel and hide unlawful money should face the full force of the law.
“While Robert Jenrick has been kicked out of the Conservative Party and is now Nigel Farage’s right hand man, this represents serious malpractice in a leadership contest.”