Nigel Farage has stated he "frankly wasn't even listening" during a conversation that appeared to discuss channeling foreign money to the Reform UK party. The exchange was filmed by an undercover reporter as part of an investigation by Verbatim Investigations and Channel 4 News.

His former chief of staff, Dan Jukes, and ex-head of policy, James Orr, have been removed from their positions following the revelation. The investigation recorded them discussing methods to secure funds from an American donor, including suggesting a fake company pay for polling.

During an interview to be broadcast on Sunday, Farage told the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg that he was not privy to the details of the fundraising discussion. He explained that he was focused on canvassing for the Clacton by-election at the time and was under the impression the funds could originate from a global family office based in London. "I am not a compliance officer," Farage stated.

The undercover operation suggested a scheme where a US donor would contribute £500,000 to Reform UK through their UK-based son. Electoral law in the UK mandates that political party donors must be UK-registered voters or companies registered in the UK, prohibiting direct contributions from abroad through a British resident.

When questioned about the film at Reform's party conference, Farage initially suggested he was scrutinizing the legitimacy of the arrangement. However, in his BBC interview, he elaborated that the individuals involved had not previously handled fundraising and should have conducted thorough vetting. "Nobody should be brought to me unless they've been vetted," he added.

The controversy has cast a shadow over Reform UK's conference. Opposition parties, including Labour and the Liberal Democrats, have urged the Metropolitan Police to investigate the allegations. The police force is currently assessing whether an investigation is warranted.

Jukes and Orr, both senior figures within Farage's inner circle, have stepped down pending the outcome of Reform UK's internal inquiry. However, political opponents are calling for Farage himself to be investigated and held accountable for the situation.

Farage has vehemently denied that Reform UK has ever accepted money from foreign entities by routing it through a UK donor. He also revealed that his family is urging him to leave his political role due to the mounting pressure surrounding the issue.