// BBC UK NEWS — CRONACA
Nigel Farage tells BBC he 'wasn't listening' during foreign donor talks filmed undercover
Watch: The Reform UK leader says he "frankly wasn’t even listening" during a conversation about foreign money being donated to his party
Nigel Farage has said he "frankly wasn't listening" during a conversation with his former chief of staff and an undercover reporter discussing what appears to have been a scheme to funnel foreign money to Reform UK.
His former chief of staff Dan Jukes and ex-head of policy James Orr have both been removed from their jobs after an investigation recorded them talking about how to get money to the party from an American donor and asking a fake company to pay for polling.
Jukes has denied doing anything wrong. Orr has told Sky News he will co-operate fully with Reform's internal investigation.
In an interview with the BBC, the Reform leader said he was not listening to the discussion and revealed his family are "begging" him to leave his job amid increasing pressure.
In a film by Verbatim Investigations and Channel 4 News, Farage and Jukes were present during a conversation in which it is suggested the US donor gives £500,000 to Reform through his UK-based son.
Under electoral law, donors to UK political parties must be a UK registered voter, or a company registered in the UK, so cannot give money from abroad through a British resident.
The proposed donation was never made as it was part of an undercover sting, but that it was seemingly entertained has sparked questions.
When asked about the exchange by reporters at Reform's party conference on Friday, Farage said he was questioning whether the arrangement was above board.
In an interview to be broadcast on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, he has now said: "I am not a compliance officer. I was in the middle of canvassing in the Clacton by-election. I turn up. I frankly wasn't even listening."