Nigel Farage accused of 'dodging scrutiny' after cancelling TV show days before elections

Nigel Farage has been accused of “dodging scrutiny days before crucial local elections” after dropping out of a planned TV interview on Sunday. The Reform UK leader was due to appear on BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg but the presenter told viewers Mr Farage’s team said he had “changed his mind”. A Labour source said: "Reform are dodging scrutiny days before crucial local elections. Could it be because Nigel Farage doesn't want to talk about failing to declare £5million? If Reform can’t even show up to answer basic questions, they don't deserve your vote on Thursday." Other party leaders who appeared on the show took aim at Mr Farage running scared from scrutiny. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said Mr Farage was “too scared” to be interviewed, while Green Party leader Zack Polanski said the Clacton MP “didn’t even bother to turn up today because he’s on the run”. In a statement to Metro, a Reform spokesman said: "Nigel Farage is campaigning in Clacton this weekend instead." Mr Farage is under pressure after it emerged last week he failed to declare a £5million gift from a crypto billionaire shortly before he was elected as an MP in 2024. The sum emerged the week before voters head to the polls for crunch local elections across parts of England, Scotland and Wales. Reform UK is on track to make major gains, according to predictions. The Reform UK leader was given the sum by Thailand-based tycoon Christopher Harborne. Parliamentary rules state new MPs have to declare political donations and political gifts in the year before they enter Parliament. The £5m does not appear in the members’ register of interests. Mr Farage, who says the seven-figure sum was not a political gift but was given to him to pay for his personal security, is now facing calls for a probe into his standards. Mr Harborne made the gift before Mr Farage announced he was standing in Clacton, The Guardian reports. Before the newspaper published the claim, Mr Farage gave an interview with The Telegraph about the gift, saying the billionaire’s cash was being used to protect him and that the Home Office had turned down requests for security. Labour ’s Anna Turley last week said: “Nigel Farage appears to have broken the rules again by failing to declare this cash from his billionaire backer. It’s not good enough for Reform to gloss over these egregious acts and further erode public trust in politics.” Tory chairman Kevin Hollinrake last week said: “As a new Member of Parliament, Mr Farage was obliged to report to the House of Commons all political donations and political gifts he received during the previous 12 months. The Conservatives are today referring Nigel Farage to the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner. This £5million raises serious questions. "The Conservatives are today referring Nigel Farage to the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner. This £5million raises serious questions." Mr Harborne has donated £22m to Reform since 2019. At the time of the £5m donation in 2024, Mr Farage had said he had no intention of standing. Reform claims it is confident rules have been followed, saying: “This was a personal unconditional gift.”