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Reform UK’s Deputy Leader, Richard Tice, has taken the step of writing to the head of the National Crime Agency (NCA) to request an investigation into whether the agency was responsible for leaking his confidential financial details to the media. Tice’s organizations had financial transactions flagged under the NCA’s Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) system, a fact he only learned about after being approached by The Guardian newspaper.
Reform UK suspects that the information published by The Guardian was sourced directly from the NCA. In response, the agency stated that it neither confirms nor denies receiving SARs nor discusses how that information is used. The NCA emphasized that SARs are confidential documents and noted that breaching this confidentiality could constitute a criminal offense under the Proceeds of Crime Act, known as “tipping off.”
According to a report initially published by The Telegraph, Tice’s company, Tisun Investment, was lent £80,000 by George Cottrell, a close associate of Reform leader Nigel Farage, toward the end of 2024. Furthermore, a think tank controlled by Tice, called Britain Means Business, received a £1 million donation from Fiona Cottrell, George’s mother, during the summer of 2024. Electoral Commission data reveals that Britain Means Business subsequently donated £500,000 to Reform UK in June of the same year.
These payments were reported to the NCA under the SARs scheme, which aims to alert authorities to potential money laundering activities. In the 2024/25 period, the programme flagged over 866,000 cases. The NCA is also known to share SAR information with police and other relevant investigative organizations. George Cottrell has become embroiled in controversy after the Sunday Times reported that he provided Farage with various forms of support, including security and social media assistance, in the year prior to Farage becoming an MP. Parliamentary rules require newly elected MPs to declare any gifts or benefits related to their political activities received within the 12 months before their election. However, gifts or benefits deemed “purely personal” are exempt. Reform UK maintains that Farage did not breach these rules because the assistance from Cottrell was given in a personal capacity
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