Nigel Farage has complained to a second regulator about Hope Not Hate’s campaigning in a recent by-election after his first against its charitable arm was dismissed.
The Reform UK leader wrote to the Electoral Commission “demanding” a probe into private firm Hope Not Hate Limited over alleged breaches of electoral law on Tuesday.
This comes after Farage’s 26 May complaint to the Charity Commission about its charitable arm Hope Unlimited Charitable Trust (HUCT) was dismissed.
A Charity Commission spokesperson said HUCT proved that its funds were not used to produce or circulate political leaflets to Makerfield by-election voters this month.
“Instead, the non-charity appealed to the public for funds for its work,” the spokesperson added.
Farage had written to the charity regulator in May to accuse HUCT of funding Hope Not Hate Limited’s “political activities”.
He claimed that the charity’s money was used to send leaflets to Makerfield homes to endorse Labour candidate Andy Burnham and reject Reform UK.
In a statement to Civil Society, HUCT’s trustees welcomed the commission’s conclusion that no further regulatory action was required.
“The trust cooperated fully with the commission’s assessment, which has confirmed that its funds were used appropriately for charitable purposes.
“[We] will continue our work to challenge hate and build connected communities,” the trustees added.
Scope of second complaint
In his letter this week to the Electoral Commission, Farage claimed on social media that Hope Not Hate Limited had not registered any charitable donations since 2019, which he said was “incredibly concerning”.
Hope Not Late Limited’s accounts show that it received grants totalling £788,000 from HUCT “to carry out their assignments”.
“Given the level of integration between Hope Not Hate and the associated charitable trust […] it raises serious questions as whether this loan was provided on commercial terms,” Farage added.
The Charity Commission’s guidance outlines that charities can carry out their purposes by making grants to other organisations.
On Farage writing to the Electoral Commission, a Hope Not Hate Limited spokesperson said: "This is the second complaint Mr Farage has filed about Hope Not Hate [as an entity] in under a month.
"Hope Not Hate’s campaigning in Makerfield was carefully tracked so as to remain within relevant electoral law spending limits.”
The Electoral Commission, Farage and Reform UK were approached for comment.
