Police are currently looking into a political donation linked to Robert Jenrick’s bid for the Tory leadership in 2024. The Metropolitan Police is investigating allegations that a donation to Jenrick’s campaign violated UK election laws by coming from a foreign source. Jenrick has denied these claims, calling them “entirely false.”

During the 2024 Conservative Party leadership contest, Robert Jenrick, a former Tory minister who later joined Reform UK, competed against Rishi Sunak to lead the party but was defeated by Kemi Badenoch. The investigation centers around a £100,000 contribution from UK company Spott Fitness to Jenrick’s campaign, with approximately £37,000 allegedly originating from a U.S. business associate of Ullmann, Gary Klopfenstein, who has a fraud conviction.

Following reports that the Electoral Commission was examining the donation, Labour urged Jenrick’s campaign to return the money allegedly linked to Klopfenstein. The Electoral Commission referred evidence to the police, leading to the ongoing investigation by the Metropolitan Police. The police stated that they are investigating donations related to a political party’s leadership campaign following the Electoral Commission’s referral.

Tory chairman Kevin Hollinrake emphasized the illegality of foreign donations, stressing the importance of transparency in disclosing the true source of contributions. Meanwhile, Jenrick maintained his innocence, stating that the accusations were unfounded and part of a larger effort to impede Reform UK’s reform agenda.

Jenrick’s spokesperson defended him, stating that the allegations of accepting impermissible donations were politically motivated and untrue. They asserted that Jenrick and his team followed all electoral laws when accepting the donation from Spott Fitness Ltd in 2024 and had no knowledge of any illicit connections at the time.

The Electoral Commission confirmed that they had been investigating donations related to the 2024 leadership campaign and had referred potential offenses beyond their jurisdiction to the Metropolitan Police. The Electoral Commission’s investigation is on hold pending the outcome of the police inquiry.