Nigel Farage is under fire today as The Sunday Times reported he failed to disclose that he had taken over staff, security and accommodation from convicted criminal George Cottrell, raising further questions about the reformist UK leader’s finances.
So who is Cottrell?
Cottrell, nicknamed Posh George, was born in 1993 into an aristocratic family whose parents had strong ties to the royal family. He grew up on the island of Mustique and then returned to boarding school in the UK, from which he was expelled for an illegal gambling habit that he admitted went on for years.
He then moved into corporate finance and banking, learning the world of global finance, before being appointed to an unpaid position as head of Farage’s private office at UKIP and, in the run-up to the EU referendum, as the party’s chief fundraiser.
But just weeks after winning the Brexit referendum in June 2016, he flew with Farage to the United States and was arrested on the tarmac as he got off the plane.
He was charged with 21 counts including “conspiracy to commit money laundering, money laundering, wire fraud, mail fraud, blackmail and extortion”, was denied bail and was jailed for eight months before being released after reaching a plea agreement and pleading guilty to one charge of wire fraud.
Cottrell returned to the UK and in 2019 he was reported to be fundraising for Farage’s next political project, the Brexit Party, which eventually became Reform Britain.
He is also reported to be involved in a crypto gambling platform.
What is Cottrell’s relationship with Farage today?
Cottrell remains Farage’s right-hand man and the pair are so close that he is said to call the UK reform leader “Dad”.
He was seen campaigning for the 2024 election with Farage and was with him when he had a milkshake thrown on him in public (pictured above).
The Sunday Times reports today that Cottrell provided the veteran politician with huge benefits, including funding his security, paying staff to transform his digital presence and giving him the use of a mansion near Buckingham Palace.
Farage is under fire because he allegedly received the benefits 12 months before he was elected MP for Clacton but failed to declare them to parliamentary authorities as required by the rules. The Liberal Democrats have asked the standards watchdog to investigate.
However, Farage’s spokesman called the reports “baseless and far-fetched” and said “no parliamentary rules were broken.”