Robert Jenrick investigated over foreign donations
Allegations suggest he received £37,500 from a foreign donor in 2024 - something which is illegal in the UK.
Police are investigating Robert Jenrick MP over a donation given to his Conservative leadership campaign in 2024.
The Electoral Commission is probing claims that £37,500 donated to Mr Jenrick’s campaign originated from overseas. This was passed onto the Metropolitan Police in January this year.
A formal investigation has now been launched “concerning donations connected to a political party’s leadership campaign” as foreign donations to UK politicians are banned under electoral law.
Mr Jenrick had hoped to replace Rishi Sunak as Conservative leader after the party lost the 2024 general election, but lost out to Kemi Badenoch. He defected to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK earlier this year.
This comes just days after Mr Farage resigned as an MP to trigger a by-election he will stand in himself amid allegations over his own donations.
Mr Jenrick said: “These allegations are entirely false, but it is no surprise that an establishment determined to stop Reform from delivering the change that this country so desperately needs would resort to making these demonstrably untrue claims.
“I have had no contact with the Met Police whatsoever in connection with this matter.”
The Guardian reported that the Electoral Commission had begun examining allegations over £100,000 in donations from the company Spott Fitness. In September 2024, it was revealed British businessman Phillip Ullmann was behind the donations.
However, there are claims that £37,500 of this donation came from US company Innovyz, which was founded by US businessman Gary Klopfenstein who pleaded guilty to committing wire fraud in 2024.
A spokesperson for Mr Jenrick said: “The suggestion that Robert knowingly accepting impermissible donations is an untrue, politically-motivated smear, put about years later by the Conservatives, despite the fact that Mr Ullman was introduced to Robert by a Tory MP, and has his donations permissibility checked by the party.
“Robert and his campaign team complied with all electoral laws when receiving the donation received from Spott Fitness Ltd in 2024.
“Mr Jenrick has never met, spoken to, or had any contact with Mr Klopfenstein, nor was he aware of any connection between him and Mr Ullmann’s donation until he was contacted by the Electoral Commission.
“He fully cooperated with the Electoral Commission inquiry, providing detailed records that categorically disproved these smears in 2025.”
The Conservative Party says that all candidates in the 2024 leadership race were reminded of the law surrounding what counts as a permissible donation.
A Met Police spokesperson said: “We have launched an investigation following a referral from the Electoral Commission on Tuesday 6 January concerning donations connected to a political party’s leadership campaign. The investigation remains ongoing.”
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