Farage and Tice sue NCA over alleged leaks of financial information

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and party chairman Richard Tice have launched legal action against the National Crime Agency, alleging that the organisation leaked confidential financial information. Speaking to Talk TV, Tice said the NCA had committed "multiple transgression offences" and that he and Farage would be seeking an apology and damages. He accused the agency of disclosing "individual bank statements, bank transfers, details of conversations with bank managers from different banks". Tice explained that he first wrote to the NCA last period to ask whether it would examine its potential liability for the release of private financial details to the media. The move followed reports that payments made to his organisation, Britain Means Business, by the parent of convicted fraudster George Cottrell had been flagged to the NCA as part of its suspicious activity reports (SARs) programme, which alerts law enforcement to possible money‑laundering activity. SARs are not crime reports. Tice said he only became aware of the issue when contacted by the Guardian newspaper, which broke the story. He told Talk TV that the NCA’s internal probe was "playing for time and we've said we're done with it". A Reform UK spokesperson confirmed that a claim had been filed at the High Court. BBC News has not seen the details of the filing. The NCA’s Professional Standards Unit responded: "Following complaints brought by Richard Tice MP and Nigel Farage, the NCA's Professional Standards Unit is conducting an investigation. That work is ongoing. It would not be due to remark further at this time." According to the Telegraph, Tisun Investment – an entity linked to Tice – received a debt of £80,000 from Cottrell in late 2024. In the same year, Britain Means Business accepted a £1 million donation from Cottrell’s mother. Electoral Commission data show that Britain Means Business donated £500,000 to Reform UK in the same month. Those transactions were among those flagged to the NCA under the SARs scheme. The Sunday Times previously reported that Cottrell had provided Farage with assistance, including information and social‑media support, in the year before Farage became an MP. Parliamentary rules require newly elected members to declare gifts or benefits received in the 12 months preceding their election that relate to their parliamentary or governmental activities, except where such items are “purely personal”. Reform UK maintains that Farage did not breach the rules because the help from Cottrell was given in a “purely personal capacity”.