Reform UK conference overshadowed by donations scandal as Farage faces questions

Nigel Farage's Reform UK annual conference in Birmingham was overshadowed by a donations scandal, with two senior aides suspended, raising fresh questions about the party's readiness for government. The suspensions of chief of staff Dan Jukes and policy chief James Orr followed an undercover Channel 4 sting showing them discussing how to circumvent donation rules. Farage denied wrongdoing, calling it an "exercise in entrapment," while his approval ratings have fallen behind Labour's Andy Burnham and Tory leader Kemi Badenoch. Despite the turmoil, party members remained loyal, with 8,000 attendees enjoying corporate-sponsored events and a platinum pass offering a "champagne breakfast with Nigel." Reform signed a migration agreement with French politician Jordan Bardella, as Farage sought to refocus on policy amid the ongoing scrutiny.