Farage 'Made Secret Deal' To Return As Reform Leader Months Before Election

Reports suggest that Nigel Farage negotiated a secret deal to return as Reform UK leader months before the 2026 general election, potentially involving the repayment of party loans. The revelation challenges Farage's previous claims regarding his political intentions and the nature of his financial declarations.
Why it matters
The story raises questions about political transparency and the integrity of financial disclosures for high-profile UK politicians.
Britain's Reform UK leader Nigel Farage leaves Milbank Tower after he said he'll quit his Parliament seat and seek reelection in London, Tuesday, July 7, 2026.(AP Photo/Thomas Krych) via Associated Press Nigel Farage struck a secret deal to return as Reform UK’s leader months before the general election, according to reports .
The Sunday Times claims Farage negotiated a pact with Richard Tice, then-party leader, in March and April 2024.
George Cottrell, the convicted fraudster known as “posh George” who reportedly bankrolled Farage, supervised the conversations.
The newspaper reports that once Farage became leader, he would repay or write off more than £1 million in loans Reform had received from Tice’s firm.
If accurate, the existence of this pact casts doubt on Farage’s previous claim that he did not intend to return to frontline politics until June 2024 when he announced his plan to run to be the Clacton MP.
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