Late last night, as the political world tried to digest Channel 4 News’ undercover exposé of Nigel Farage, his henchmen, and the murky world of Reform UK finance, the Reform party dismissed the programme as a “hoax”.
This morning, however, as the investigation threatened to wreck their annual conference in Birmingham, Reform came down to earth with a bump. The party suspended Dan Jukes and James Orr. These are two of Farage’s most senior aides, who are filmed in the programme apparently plotting how to get round the law on foreign donations.
One can’t exaggerate the importance of these two men to Farage. This blow must be like losing one of his limbs. Jukes is his closest aide, who has been at his side for years, advising him minute by minute, briefing journalists – all-round indispensable. Orr is a more recent arrival, officially head of policy, though last night’s show suggests “head of plotting” might be a more suitable title.
Astonishingly, Orr is a Cambridge academic, theologian, and philosopher, though moral philosophy doesn’t seem to be his speciality. Both men are “not coming back”, according to Reform MP Lee Anderson. Anderson’s words imply that he and the party think Jukes and Orr have done something seriously wrong. But, hang on, I thought it was all a “hoax”?
