Reform rejects pro-Russia claims as party faces renewed call for bribery inquiry

Reform UK has denied it is a pro-Russian party, as it faced renewed calls from the Prime Minister and MPs to launch an investigation into how its former leader in Wales had taken bribes from the Kremlin.

Sir Keir Starmer, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and a slew of MPs rounded on Nigel Farage’s party in the House of Commons to demand it holds an inquiry into how Nathan Gill had taken cash from Moscow.

Gill was jailed for 10-and-a-half years last week after he admitted being paid £40,000 to make pro-Russian statements in the European Parliament.

Speaking in Parliament about the G20 summit in South Africa, Sir Keir said: “It is shocking that a senior official, the leader in Wales, has been jailed for over 10 years – a very significant sentence – for pro-Russia bribes.

“That is extraordinary. Reform leadership should have the courage to launch an investigation. How on earth did that happen in their party? And what other links are there?”

He later said if Reform UK had nothing to hide, they should be happy to investigate.

In response Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice said Vladimir Putin was a “vile dictator” and that criticism was “noise”.

Mr Tice heckled Sir Keir during the Prime Minister’s remarks, saying he was “talking nonsense” and “absolute twaddle”, as the Labour leader said Reform would not bring allies together in support of Ukraine.

Mr Tice, who cut a lonely figure as the sole Reform MP on the opposition benches as succession of MPs tore into his party for Gill’s crimes, said his and Reform’s support for Ukraine had been “rock solid”.

He said: “May I remind the House that last year I personally donated a five-figure sum, bought a pickup truck, filled it with first aid supplies, and drove it with other friends and colleagues to Ukraine, and donated it to the brave soldiers of Ukraine.

“So my support, and Reform’s support for Ukraine has been rock solid Prime Minister, throughout.”

Mr Tice asked the Government to leverage the power European nations have to negotiate with Mr Putin.

Sir Keir replied: “He could have stood up and said that Reform has seen sense and decided they will have an investigation in relation to what happened in this bribery case.

“I don’t doubt that he drove and personally committed in relation to support, but the simple fact is this, you can’t be pro-Putin and pro-Ukraine, you have to decide between the two, and Reform is pro-Putin, and that is why they undermine.

“They’ve just been convicted, a 10-year sentence for taking pro-Russian bribes.

“It couldn’t be clearer than that, and an unwillingness to say we need to investigate how on earth that happened? Can he not see the inconsistency in what he’s saying?”

Mrs Badenoch said: “It is a disgrace that Reform are still blaming Nato for Russia’s aggression.

“Although perhaps, it should come as no surprise when their former leader in Wales was sent to prison last week for taking bribes from Putin.”

Deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats Daisy Cooper said it was “absolutely right” that Reform investigate.

Labour MPs Paul Waugh (Rochdale) and Jonathan Brash (Hartlepool) said the party contained “Putin’s poodles…and puppets”.

Replying to Ms Cooper, Sir Keir replied: “It is extraordinary that in this chamber, we’re having a debate about a war which Russia has perpetrated on Ukraine, and a senior member of Reform is convicted of pro-Russian bribes in relation to interference with democracy.”

He then told Mr Brash: “If the leadership of Reform were confident that there are no other pro-Russia activities and links in their party, they would surely want to have the investigation.

“The very fact that they won’t look at this tells me that they’re not confident of that, and they don’t want any of us to know about it.”