Fiona Cottrell’s son, George Cottrell, has been on the centre of a political row in latest weeks.
The Sunday Times has reported he supported Farage by paying for workers and safety earlier than the 2024 election, however these advantages weren’t declared as soon as Farage turned an MP. Farage has since stepped down as an MP and is standing for re-election within the constituency of Clacton.
Farage has constantly argued any cash given to him earlier than he was elected an MP got here in a private capability and due to this fact didn’t want to be declared. Lawyers for Cottrell have mentioned he “categorically disputes allegations and assertions made by The Sunday Times, which clearly fail to reflect what that publisher was told in advance of its reporting”.
Asked by the Sunday Times if Cottrell had transferred cash to his mom earlier than she made donations to Reform UK, his attorneys at Carter Ruck mentioned: “Our client has confirmed his instructions that any donations by his mother have been entirely her own decision.”
George Cottrell has lengthy been an in depth political and private ally of the Reform UK chief.
He pleaded responsible to fraud within the United States and spent eight months in jail there, earlier than being launched in 2017.
Upon his launch he moved again to the UK and now lives in Montenegro.
At a rally in Norfolk on Tuesday Nigel Farage mentioned he had “absolutely no idea” whether or not George Cottrell had given cash to his mom to donate onwards to the social gathering, including, “What’s it got to do with me how families sort out their finances?”
“If the money was hers legally and she gave the donation, I don’t see what the problem is,” he mentioned.
Britain Means Business was arrange in August 2017 underneath the identify Leave Means Leave and campaigned for a “clean Brexit”.
The organisation was arrange by Tice and John Longworth, a former boss of the British Chambers of Commerce and outstanding Brexit campaigner.
Longworth left Leave Means Leave in January 2020, the month the UK formally left the EU.
A couple of months later Tice modified the organisation’s identify to Britain Means Business. He now solely owns and controls the enterprise.
