Nigel Farage faced strong criticism in the House of Commons regarding his associate from Reform who confessed to accepting Russian bribes. During a tense discussion on national security, Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty condemned the Reform UK leader for complaining despite the revelations of Nathan Gill’s bribery involvement in support of Russia.
The disgraced 52-year-old former UKIP and Brexit Party MEP, who led Reform in Wales until 2021, is awaiting sentencing next month. Gill, who acknowledged Mr. Farage as a “friend and colleague,” has been frequently seen alongside him. In a separate debate concerning the Chagos Islands, Mr. Farage expressed concern that Mauritius might not honor a treaty due to financial struggles, potentially leading to Chinese influence.
However, Labour minister Mr. Doughty swiftly rebutted Mr. Farage’s comments by highlighting Gill’s bribery admission and his alleged alignment with Kremlin messaging blaming NATO for Russia’s actions in Ukraine. Gill, who served as a UKIP and Brexit Party MEP from 2014 to 2020 and led UKIP Wales from 2014 to 2016, later headed Reform UK Wales briefly in 2021.
Gill, from Llangefni, Anglesey, pleaded guilty to eight bribery charges related to accepting funds from Oleg Voloshyn, linked to the Russian security services, and advocating for pro-Russian interests in European Parliament and media appearances. His support for TV channels associated with Vladimir Putin’s ally Viktor Medvedchuk further reinforced his ties to Russian interests.
In response to Gill’s case, Commander Dominic Murphy emphasized the seriousness of an elected official promoting narratives beneficial to Russian goals. Mr. Farage distanced himself from Gill’s actions, claiming unawareness of his pro-Russian activities.