UK parliamentary watchdog to investigate Nigel Farage over $7 million gift, BBC says

LONDON, May 13 (Reuters) - Britain's parliamentary watchdog will begin ​an ‌investigation into whether Nigel Farage, leader of the Reform ⁠UK party, breached its rules ⁠by accepting a 5 million ​pound ($6.75 million) gift which he did not declare, the BBC reported on Wednesday.

Farage, whose right-wing party was ​the ‌biggest winner in local elections earlier in May, faced accusations from rival political parties in April that he had broken rules by failing to ​declare the donation from a cryptocurrency investor.

Under ‌parliamentary rules, members of parliament need to declare any donations received in the ‌year preceding an election within one month of taking office.

Neither Reform UK nor the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner's ​office immediately responded to a Reuters request for comment.

Farage said ‌he received the donation from crypto investor Christopher Harborne to pay for his personal security before he announced ⁠his ⁠candidacy in the 2024 national ‌election, and therefore it did not constitute a political donation.

Reform has ​topped ​national opinion polls since early ‌last year, prompting increased scrutiny of the party's sources of funding. ($1 = 0.7406 pounds) (Reporting by Muvija M, writing by Sarah Young, editing by William James)