The Metropolitan Police are investigating four £250,000 donations to Reform UK linked to Britain Means Business, a company owned by Richard Tice. The probe — opened in February 2025 after an Electoral Commission referral — examines possible breaches of Section 61 of PPERA, which prohibits concealing donations or providing false donor information. Some transfers were flagged to the NCA via Suspicious Activity Reports; two people have been interviewed under caution and no arrests have been made. Reform UK says it follows Electoral Commission rules.
Met Police Probe Four £250,000 Donations Linked To Richard Tice’s Company
[PA News]
Police are investigating four £250,000 donations to Reform UK that have links to Britain Means Business, a company owned and controlled by the party’s deputy leader, Richard Tice, the BBC has reported.
What’s Being Investigated
The Metropolitan Police launched an inquiry in February 2025 after receiving a referral from the Electoral Commission. Detectives from the Met’s Special Enquiry Team are examining potential offences under Section 61 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (PPERA), which covers the concealment or disguising of donations and the provision of false information about donations.
Donations And Timeline
Public records and Electoral Commission disclosures show four payments of £250,000 each made in the weeks before the 4 July 2024 general election:
- 9 May 2024 — £250,000 direct donation from Fiona Cottrell to Reform UK
- 29 May 2024 — a second £250,000 direct donation from Fiona Cottrell to Reform UK
- 10 June 2024 — £250,000 donation from Britain Means Business to Reform UK
- 12 June 2024 — a further £250,000 from Britain Means Business to Reform UK
Electoral Commission filings also show Britain Means Business received £1m from Fiona Cottrell in June 2024 and disclosed donating £500,000 of that to Reform UK the same month.
SARs, The NCA And Leaks
The payments were previously reported to have been flagged to the National Crime Agency (NCA) via Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs), which are used to alert law enforcement to potential money‑laundering activity but are not criminal charges. The NCA is conducting an internal inquiry after complaints from Richard Tice and Nigel Farage about alleged leaks of private financial information.
George Cottrell (right) with Nigel Farage [PA Media]
Police Status And Responses
The Met says early advice has been sought from the Crown Prosecution Service; two people have been interviewed under caution and no arrests have been made. The investigation has been open for more than a year, according to reporting.
Richard Tice has told the BBC the funds were passed to Britain Means Business by Fiona Cottrell and questioned why the Met was briefing media before contacting involved parties. Reform UK has said it follows Electoral Commission guidance on vetting donations.
Background And Context
Fiona Cottrell is a known donor to Reform UK. Her son, George Cottrell, previously pleaded guilty to fraud in the United States, served eight months in jail and now lives in Montenegro. He has been reported to have provided support to Nigel Farage, which has also attracted media and regulatory attention.
Britain Means Business began as Leave Means Leave in 2017, founded by Richard Tice and John Longworth. Tice now solely owns and controls the organisation.
What This Means
The probe focuses on whether the origin or identity of donations was concealed or misrepresented — potentially breaching election law. The Electoral Commission has limited powers for criminal offences under Section 61, which is why the matter is being handled by the police.
Current Status: Investigation ongoing. Two people interviewed under caution; no arrests reported. The Met and the Electoral Commission have issued statements; the NCA continues an internal review related to SARs and alleged leaks.
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