Police review complaint about Reform UK’s free energy bills competition | Politics News

Police are reviewing a complaint about Reform UK’s free energy bills competition.

Reform leader Nigel Farage said on Friday that he is “not the least bit worried” his party broke electoral rules when it offered voters the chance to win free energy bills for themselves and their street for a year.

Mr Farage and his party’s Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick handed the winning couple – described as “staunch branch members” of the party by a local Reform UK page – a large cheque for £1,758 in a video posted to X on Thursday.

Greater Manchester Police said in a statement on Friday it had received a report about the competition and that officers “are currently reviewing the matter”, but did not disclose what the potential offence is.

Karl Turner MP, who had his Labour whip removed in March, said Reform’s competition “might be considered ‘treating'” if it happened inside the pre-election period for local authorities, which started on 30 March.

Reform’s free energy bills competition ran from 17 March to 31 March, and the winners were announced on 9 April.

The Electoral Commission said in a statement: “Some activity designed to incentivise voter behaviour may be considered an offence, including bribery and treating.

“It would be for the police to consider the facts of any allegations made to them, in order to determine if an offence has been committed. Any allegations should be reported directly to the police.”

Concerns over handling of personal data

To enter the competition, people had to submit their name, email, phone number, who they voted for in the previous election and their voting preference for the upcoming local election on 7 May.

Concerns have been raised about Reform’s handling of the collected personal data.

A Reform spokesman said: “We’ve had the raffle checked by our party barrister and an independent KC.

“We have two legal written opinions on it, and the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has come back to us and said everything is fine.”

A spokesperson for the ICO said: “All political parties collecting personal information, including information for political campaigning, need to comply with data protection law.

“We’re in regular contact with political parties about how they use people’s data. We have spoken with Reform about this competition and improving transparency in how they handle people’s personal information.

“People who are concerned about how their information is being used by any political party can raise those concerns with the party, and if they remain dissatisfied can make a complaint to the ICO.”

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It is understood that the ICO provided Reform with some recommendations around improving transparency around how personal data was collected, used and safeguarded for the competition.