UK Government Orders Independent Review into Foreign Financial Interference in Politics
The UK government has commissioned an independent review into foreign financial interference in UK politics. The review will be led by former senior civil servant Philip Rycroft and is expected to deliver its report by March 2026.
Communities Secretary Steve Reed announced the review, which aims to conduct an in-depth assessment of the current financial rules and safeguards governing political financing. It will propose measures to mitigate risks related to foreign interference to strengthen the resilience of UK democracy.
This initiative comes in the wake of the case involving Nathan Gill, the former leader of Reform UK Wales, who has been jailed for 10 and a half years after admitting to accepting bribes in exchange for pro-Russian interviews and speeches. The review seeks to learn lessons from this case to prevent similar incidents and uphold the integrity of the political system.
The article highlights allegations of Russian state actions connected to the case, including the deportation of Ukrainian children and the use of a nerve agent on UK soil, emphasizing the broader context of foreign interference concerns facing the UK.
