Minister says probe in response to case of ex-Reform UK lawmaker Nathan Gill, jailed for taking pro-Russia bribes.
Published On 16 Dec 2025
The United Kingdom is launching an impartial investigation into international interference in British politics, simply weeks after a former Reform UK lawmaker was jailed for greater than 10 years for taking bribes to make pro-Russia statements.
Steve Reed, the UK’s secretary of state for housing, communities and native authorities, mentioned on Tuesday that he had ordered the probe in response to the case of Nathan Gill, a former Member of the European Parliament and ex-leader of Reform UK in Wales.
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“A British politician took bribes to additional the pursuits of the Russian regime,” Reed mentioned within the House of Commons. “This conduct is a stain on our democracy. The impartial overview will work to take away that stain.”
Gill was sentenced to 10 years and 6 months in jail on November 21.
He pleaded responsible in September to accepting 1000’s of euros from a pro-Russian politician in Ukraine between 2018 and 2019, and making scripted statements and tv appearances at his behest.
The case had spurred widespread condemnation from throughout the political spectrum, with Nigel Farage’s Reform UK occasion – which has been main most polls – final month describing Gill’s actions as “reprehensible, treasonous and unforgivable”.
On Tuesday, Conservative MP Paul Holmes welcomed the impartial overview into international interference as a vital step.
“Protecting the integrity of our democratic system from international interference just isn’t a partisan situation. It goes to the guts of public belief in our elections,” Holmes instructed the House.
“Interference in our elections from international actors is one thing that we should all be vigilant in opposition to.”
Reed, the housing minister, mentioned the impartial probe can be led by Philip Rycroft, former UK everlasting secretary for the Department for Exiting the European Union.
“The goal of the overview is to offer an in-depth evaluation of the present monetary guidelines and safeguards and make suggestions,” mentioned Reed, including that Rycroft has been requested to report his findings to the federal government by the tip of March.
The minister famous that the British authorities put ahead a technique “for contemporary and safe elections” earlier this yr in a push to handle international interference and public mistrust within the electoral system, amongst different points.
But Reed mentioned on Tuesday that “occasions have proven that we have to contemplate whether or not our firewall is sufficient”.
“The impartial overview will take a look at this,” he mentioned, together with by evaluating the UK’s current political finance legal guidelines, methods to determine and mitigate international interference, and safeguards in opposition to illicit funding streams.
