Cambridge Examines James Orr Over Foreign Donation Claims After Reform Suspends 2 Aides
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Sep 4
Cambridge Examines James Orr Over Foreign Donation Claims After Reform Suspends 2 Aides
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Sep 4
Summary
Cambridge University said it is looking into James Orr’s conduct after Reform UK suspended the associate professor and policy chief pending an internal investigation.
Channel 4 and Verbatim footage showed Orr apparently discussing polling for Reform that would be secretly arranged by the party but paid for by a US company — an arrangement barred under UK electoral law.
A separate clip captured Orr saying Nigel Farage “doesn’t know, won’t know” about the funding plan; Farage later distanced himself, saying the two aides were outside the fundraising team and proper checks would have blocked the meeting.
Orr denied wrongdoing in a video on X, saying the proposal could not amount to a donation in kind and calling the undercover investigation politically motivated. Dan Jukes, another senior Farage aide, also stood down.