Police investigate £500,000 Reform donations from mother of fraudster who backed Farage

George Cottrell, right, has often accompanied Nigel Farage to events, including at a rally in Parliament Square in 2019 (pictured). Photograph: Mark Kerrison/Alamy View image in fullscreen George Cottrell, right, has often accompanied Nigel Farage to events, including at a rally in Parliament Square in 2019 (pictured). Photograph: Mark Kerrison/Alamy Police investigate £500,000 Reform donations from mother of fraudster who backed Farage George Cottrell’s mother, Fiona, at centre of criminal inquiry over potential evasion of restrictions on donations Police are investigating donations worth £500,000 made to Reform UK by the mother of a convicted fraudster and ally of Nigel Farage . The investigation concerns two donations of £250,000 made by Fiona Cottrell, whose son George has often accompanied Farage to Reform events and media appearances. The May 2024 donations are under investigation over whether they were intended to conceal a donation by an impermissible donor. Two people have been interviewed under caution in relation to the May 2024 donations, the Metropolitan police said in a statement on Thursday night, adding that the investigation was launched in February 2025 after a referral by the Electoral Commission . No arrests have been made. The donations appear to be separate to a deposit of about £1m that Fiona Cottrell made in June 2024 to a company run by Richard Tice, Reform’s deputy leader. This week, the Guardian revealed that the transfer to Tice’s company, Britain Means Business, was reported to the National Crime Agency by bankers. According to financial industry sources, bankers and the NCA have been unable to trace the origin of £1m given to Britain Means Business, £500,000 of which was moved into Reform’s coffers weeks in advance of the general election. Scotland Yard has been examining the separate May 2024 donations and potential related offences for more than a year. The police investigation into the May 2024 donations, first reported by the Times, started in February 2025, after a referral from the Electoral Commission. The Met said it was linked to section 61 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act, 2000, which says that it is an offence to conceal or disguise the person or entity who is making a political donation. View image in fullscreen Fiona Cottrell, then known as Fiona Watson, in 1972. Photograph: Lichfield/Getty Images The news is a further blow to Reform and Nigel Farage, which have faced serious questions over finance since the Guardian revealed an undisclosed gift of £5m to Farage from cryptocurrency entrepreneur Christopher Harborne. It comes as Farage prepares to fight a byelection boycotted by the other parties after he stood down in his Clacton constituency this week. And it will add to questions facing Fiona Cottrell, who has not responded to detailed questions from the Guardian about her financial involvement with Reform. She refused to comment about the donation currently under police investig