Labour Reports Alleged Russian Hacking of Nigel Farage's Phone, Bank Accounts to Police
Labour has escalated claims of Russian interference, formally reporting the alleged hacking of Nigel Farage’s phone and bank accounts to the Metropolitan Police and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).
Reform sources initially briefed a newspaper, alleging that their leader’s phone was compromised by Russian spies to obtain details of a £5 million gift received from businessman Christopher Harborne. This payment, made in April 2024, did not appear on Farage’s declaration of interests, becoming public only after media reports. The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards has since launched an investigation into whether Farage breached parliamentary rules by not declaring the sum.
Labour chair Anna Turley wrote to both the Met Police and the NCSC, stating that if Reform UK had not reported the incident, her letter should be treated as a “formal report of what appears, on the basis of media reports, to be an allegation of a serious crime.” Turley emphasised the potential implications for “Britain’s national security, the integrity of our politics and public confidence in our democratic system.”
Reform has stated it reported the alleged incident to “relevant authorities,” but this reportedly does not include the Met Police. The party has declined further comment, citing ongoing investigations.
According to Reform sources, Farage became “intensely suspicious” following reports of the £5 million gift. After forensic analysis of his mobile phone by “counter-espionage experts,” they concluded that “hostile state actors, almost certainly linked to Moscow,” used “spear phishing” tactics to compromise his digital accounts.
Farage previously told a newspaper that these alleged Russian actions are “deeply concerning” and underscore the “threat they pose to British security.” The NCSC has confirmed it “stands ready to support with any suspected cyber incident that is reported.”
