Farage’s undisclosed £5m gift

Summary

Today in Focus – Episode Summary

Episode Title: Farage’s undisclosed £5m gift

Date: May 19, 2026
Host: Annie Kelly
Guest: Anna Isaac (Guardian City Editor)

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Episode Overview

This episode unpacks the revelation that Reform UK leader Nigel Farage accepted an undisclosed £5 million gift from Thai-based crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne in 2024. Host Annie Kelly and Guardian City Editor Anna Isaac, who broke the story, discuss the details of the gift, questions of transparency and propriety, the regulatory framework for MPs, Harborne’s influence, and the potential consequences for Farage and Reform UK. The episode explores the intersection of personal finances, political funding, and public accountability in UK politics.

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Key Discussion Points

1. Farage’s Financial Dealings and Media Presence

• Multiple Revenue Streams: Farage earns close to £100,000 as an MP, £700,000 for hosting on GB News, £400,000 promoting gold bullion, and more through personal Cameo messages—even to controversial figures ([00:53–01:43]).
• Undeclared £5M Gift: In 2024, Farage received a £5 million “personal gift” from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne, initially stating it was for personal security and later as a reward for 27 years of Brexit campaigning ([01:54–02:34]).

2. Discovery and Reporting of the Gift

• Breaking the Story: Anna Isaac details how she discovered the gift was made just weeks before Farage ran for Parliament ([03:11]).
• Jumping the Story: Before the Guardian could publish, Farage pre-empted reporting by speaking to The Telegraph, framing the gift as security funding ([06:00]).

3. Parliamentary Rules Around Gifts

• Oversight and Declaration: MPs must declare benefits or outside earnings from 12 months prior upon becoming an MP.
  • “If there is any doubt, that it ought to be recorded.” — Anna Isaac ([03:52])
• Comparison Cases: Contrasts with other MPs’ declared personal gifts, e.g., Boris Johnson’s wedding costs ([04:44]).

4. Importance of Transparency

• The UK system is built on transparency—public must know what interests could influence MPs ([05:20]).

5. Changing Explanations and Use of Funds

• Farage’s reasoning for the gift changed in the media, from personal security to a reward for Brexit efforts ([02:11], [07:16]).
  • Quote: “It is unusual. My mate lent me a tenner to get a couple of beers. Five million quid. It's a hell of a lot, I know...” — Nigel Farage ([07:16])
• Reports emerged Farage bought a £1.4 million house in cash soon after the gift’s receipt, although the timeline and source of funds are disputed ([07:26–08:37]).
• Additional questions persist about the purchase of a property by Farage’s partner ([13:28]).

6. Who is Christopher Harborne?

• UK-born, residing in Thailand under a different name (Chakrat Sukhkan Krit).
• One of the biggest donors in modern British history, having given around £12 million to Reform UK, not including the unregistered £5 million ([08:51–09:40]).
• Expressed a personal mission to “take Britain back to the early days of Thatcher” ([11:22]).
• “Whatever efforts there might be, I will find a way to make sure that I get money into British politics, kind of whatever happens.” — Paraphrased from Harborne ([09:08]).

7. Political Donations and Cryptocurrency

• No maximum limit for individual donations to parties in UK, though spending limits exist ([10:34]).
• Reform UK is openly supportive of cryptocurrency; Farage has featured at crypto events and endorsed crypto products ([12:34–13:19]).

8. Official Inquiries and Potential Consequences

• Parliamentary Standards Commissioner launched an inquiry after Conservative Party called for it ([15:34]).
• Possibility of Electoral Commission investigation if funds were used for political campaigning ([18:59]).
• Consequences could range from a reprimand to a 10-day suspension, potentially triggering a by-election ([17:07–17:37]).
  • “A suspension of that long could be sufficient to trigger a by election in his constituency.” — Anna Isaac ([17:17])
• No direct precedent for a gift of this size ([17:50]).

9. Effects on Farage’s Image and Reform Supporters

• Mixed reactions among Reform party supporters: some unbothered, others troubled by the amount and lack of transparency ([21:01]).
• Farage claims his Clacton constituents don’t care about the money, unless he’s seen as a “crook” ([21:55]):
  • “No one cares. They care if you're a crook, which I'm not and never have been, but the fact that I made a few quid doing things, but that doesn't worry people at all.” — Nigel Farage ([22:12])

10. Media Scrutiny and Public Interest

• Farage has (so far) endured less scrutiny than high-profile officeholders, but as his power grows, pressure increases ([22:52]).
• Anna Isaac stresses the public interest in investigating the overlap between political and personal finances:
  • “...this is something that's important for anyone that's looking to take on those top jobs. They have to accept that there is a greater public interest in all of their finances than there would be if they were a private citizen.” — Anna Isaac ([23:35–24:36])
• Farage is seen as a potential future Prime Minister ([24:39]).

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Memorable Quotes

• “Hopefully till I'm dead. Right.” — Nigel Farage, on how long the £5m should last ([07:01])
• “If there is any doubt, that it ought to be recorded.” — Anna Isaac ([03:52])
• “Whatever efforts there might be, I will find a way to make sure that I get money into British politics, kind of whatever happens.” — Anna Isaac, paraphrasing Harborne ([09:08])
• “A suspension of that long could be sufficient to trigger a by election in his constituency.” — Anna Isaac ([17:17])
• “No one cares. They care if you're a crook, which I'm not and never have been, but the fact that I made a few quid... that doesn't worry people at all.” — Nigel Farage ([22:12])
• “...this is something that's important for anyone that's looking to take on those top jobs. They have to accept that there is a greater public interest in all of their finances than there would be if they were a private citizen.” — Anna Isaac ([24:36])

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Farage’s income streams and side hustles: [00:53–01:43]
• Initial explanations for £5m gift: [01:54–02:34], [07:16]
• Discovery and scoop competition: [06:00]
• Parliamentary rules and importance of declaration: [03:52–05:44]
• Harborne background and motivations: [08:51–11:22]
• Reform UK and cryptocurrency links: [12:34–13:19]
• Official parliamentary and electoral commission inquires: [15:34–19:11]
• Supporters’ reactions & Farage’s response: [21:01–22:12]
• Media scrutiny and public interest: [22:52–24:36]

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Conclusion

This episode puts a spotlight on the ethics and transparency of large-scale political gifts in the UK, centering the discussion on Nigel Farage’s receipt of a £5 million gift and the surrounding lack of disclosure. Insights from Anna Isaac underscore the need for public scrutiny and the importance of financial transparency for those in public office. The ongoing official inquiries could have significant ramifications for Farage, Reform UK, and UK political funding rules at large.

Transcript

[Annie Kelly]

This is the Guardian. Today, Nigel Farage's five million pound headache.

[Anna Isaac]

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[Annie Kelly]

Nowadays, we're told everybody needs a side hustle and Nigel Farage seems to have quite a few. He already makes almost £100,000 through his MP salary, but on top of that, since becoming the member for Clacton, he's been paid £700,000 to present his own show on GB News.

[Nigel Farage]

So I'll be here every night taking on the tough stories of the day, taking on stories that other broadcasters actually don't want to touch.

[Annie Kelly]

£400,000 to advertise gold bullion.

[Nigel Farage]

So many people are now getting involved and buying UK gold coins. Remember, they're tax free.

[Annie Kelly]

And hundreds of thousands more sending personal messages on cameo, including two convicted criminals.

[Nigel Farage]

This message is to pay tribute to Ian Watkins, a good man, a really good guy who was very much in contact with me, who loved his children and will be sorely, sorely missed by them forever.

[Annie Kelly]

Now, it turns out that in 2024 he took a 5 million pound gift from elusive Thai based crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne without declaring it to Parliament. At first, Farage said the money was gifted to pay for his personal security.

[Nigel Farage]

This money is the only way I can look after myself and protect myself for the rest of my life.

[Annie Kelly]

But then as he came under pressure, he seemed to change his mind.

[Nigel Farage]

This was given to me on an unconditional basis, completely unconditional basis, but frankly, it was given as a reward for campaigning for Brexit for 27 years.

[Annie Kelly]

And he's currently facing a parliamentary inquiry that could see him forced to fight for his seat. From the Guardian, I'm Annie Kelly, Today in Focus where Farage got his millions and what he did with them. Anna Isaac, you are the Guardian City Editor. Welcome to Today in Focus. You broke the story about a 5 million pound gift that Nigel Farage received from a crypto billionaire. What did you discover?

[Anna Isaac]

I found out that Nigel Farage had just weeks before he decided to run as an MP in the 2024 general election and become leader of Reform, that he had accepted a 5 million pound gift from Christopher Harborne, who's a cryptocurrency billionaire.

[Nigel Farage]

You've had some difficult questions about your own funding. £5 million. We can talk about that any other time you like.

[Anna Isaac]

He was one of the biggest donors to the Brexit Party. He's had a long relationship with Nigel Farage as a donor. He made this gift. And he is also reform UK's biggest single donor, accounting for around two thirds of overall donations to the party. So he's often termed a mega donor.

[Annie Kelly]

Can you just describe what the rules are about accepting a gift like this? How tightly is this controlled?

[Anna Isaac]

When MPs become members of Parliament, they are given a copy of the code of conduct. These are the rules that every MP has to adhere to. And in that code of conduct, it says that you need to declare benefits and financial interests. So within 28 days of becoming an MP, you need to go back through your books for your finances for 12 months beforehand and you're meant to declare any benefits or outside earnings that you had in that period. The wrinkle here is that reforms say, well, hang on, this was a personal gift. And it's true that some personal gifts don't have to be declared, but within the rules it does say, if there is any doubt, that it ought to be recorded. So now that the gifts come to light, we're getting more scrutiny as to that question. Should it have been reported?

[Annie Kelly]

Yeah, and I mean, it's £5 million. We're talking about a massive amount of money here.

[Anna Isaac]

It is a life changing sum of money, there's no question. It's also the case that while some MPs have had gifts at different times of money. So, for example, Lord Bamford of the JCB empire, he helped Boris Johnson towards the cost of his wedding to his wife Carrie. But that was declared, that was within the MPs register of interests. And, and that would definitely be regarded as personal because it was his wedding. So it is interesting that a different approach has been taken in this instance.

[Annie Kelly]

Why is it so important that a gift like this would be declared? What kind of scrutiny would that have opened him up to that he managed to avoid by not declaring it in the first place?

[Anna Isaac]

Speaking in general terms about the British system, it is built on the principle of transparency. That's why they're called declarations. The assumption is not a default, you are doing the wrong thing or anything like that. The notion is that transparency shows everybody what's happening. They can literally see what interests might influence or be seen to influence a Member of Parliament. That's the spirit of the rules.

[Annie Kelly]

When you went To Nigel Farage with the story. He kind of pipped you to the Post with this story, didn't he? He admitted to receiving the gift in an interview with a Telegraph. After you'd asked for this comment, but before you published your article, what did he say in that article to the Telegraph? And, you know, why would he have done that?

[Anna Isaac]

To use jargon, which isn't a great thing to do. But this is kind of called jumping the story or trying to spike it, which basically means that they're trying to undermine the reporting. What happened is we went to Reform uk, as you would expect, as is good practice, and we gave them 24 hours to what is a really quite a simple premise, which is, did you receive £5 million from this person? And we named the person and we asked and we set out a time frame and they said, look, we need more time. You've come to the wrong person. They said the Director of Communications was the wrong person. So then we said, okay, you can give us more time. The legal team at Reform said they needed more time. We say, okay, we'll give you another 24 hours. But rather than using that 24 hours to sort of work out what's happened and get back to us, they chose to brief the Daily Telegraph on the story. And that meant that they were sort of, from reading it, they looked like they were trying to really frame the gift in the context that they laid out, which was it was a gift for security purposes. And Nigel Farage said, it's supposed to keep me safe and secure for the rest of my life. That's why I was given the money. How long's the 5 million going to last, Mr. Farage?

[Nigel Farage]

Hopefully till I'm dead. Right.

[Annie Kelly]

And though I did see, he initially said it was for his security, but the story did seem to change. Farage then said in an interview to the sun that the money was a Reward for his 27 years campaigning on Brexit.

[Nigel Farage]

It is unusual. My mate lent me a tenner to get a couple of beers. Five million quid. It's a hell of a lot, I know. And it's very unusual for someone to give up 27 years of their life to campaign, but something.

[Annie Kelly]

And right now there are news reports that show that Farage bought a 1.4 million pound house shortly after the gift was received. So what do we know about what that money was used for?

[Anna Isaac]

We're still trying to piece that together. Ali Fortescue at Sky has had this story, new story that says, well, he had a 1.4 million house purchase go through cash and that went through supposedly after this gift was made. The 5 million pound donation by Christopher Harborne was first reported in The Guardian early 2024, May 2024. That's when this property was bought. Then that's obviously raising a lot of questions. Reformu's case position is that the offer was already made and accepted and proof of funds was offered before the gift was made. But it's starting to sort of add to this series of questions which is why did you need the money? What was the money for? Have you received any other gifts? And we've put many of those questions to Reform UK and had little or no response.

[Annie Kelly]

Anna, let's zoom out a bit. So we recently spoke to the Guardian's investigations correspondent Tom Burgess about Christopher Harborne himself and his bankrolling a Farage. So can you talk a little bit about Harborne? What do we know about him?

[Anna Isaac]

Christopher Harborne is a really interesting, if slightly enigmatic figure. He's got an absolute passion for aviation. He runs aviation related companies. We know that he lives in Thailand and he has a long standing relationship with Nigel Farage. And we now know that he accounts for 2/3 of donations to Reform UK. He's given about 12 million in total. That's not including the 5 million gift. He is one of the most significant political donors in modern British history. This is a really important man. He's a billionaire, but one who has been UK born, is a UK political donor. But he's got this really interesting life in Thailand. He goes by a different name there, it's called Chakrat Sukhkan Krit. He gave an extremely rare interview to the Telegraph actually as part of this effort to sort of get ahead of our story about 5 million gift. He said he was really determined to get money into British politics. He said that it was a personal gift for an unconditional gift for Farage's security. But he also said separately that whatever efforts there might be, I will find a way to make sure that I get money into British politics, kind of whatever happens. Bearing in mind there's legislation that's currently passing through Parliament trying to limit the amount that people who are overseas voters, so. So they live overseas but they are allowed to donate to UK parties. But it's still considered in some ways a foreign donation efforts to limit those amounts of money and also to limit the amount of money that can be given in crypto.

[Annie Kelly]

Is there a limit at the moment on how much individuals can give to particular political parties in our system or could it be kind of the sky's the limit, that he could just keep on giving and giving with no checks or balances at all.

[Anna Isaac]

So at the moment, in the uk, there is no limit on the amount that an individual can give to a political party. But there are overall spending limits, there are spending limits by constituencies and there are spending limits per year per political party. So it's not a complete free for all. But it's definitely fair to say that there are issues within the system that means one person can be a very dominant donor, so to speak.

[Annie Kelly]

And in that Telegraph article that you mentioned, as you said, really rare to hear him talking to the press. Did he give any kind of indication about what his personal motivations might be, be for supporting Farage? I believe that he mentioned the milkshake incident, where Nigel Farage was attacked with a milkshake.

[Nigel Farage]

Complete failure

[Anna Isaac]

with the milkshake incident. On one level, it could be seen as slightly comic. On another, at no point are we suggesting that security of MPs or anything like that isn't a really serious issue. We know they face threats. We've seen David Almis and we've seen Jo Cox, both In recent years, MPs who have been killed in the course of their duties as an mp. So that is a really, really serious issue. What's different, though, is Christopher Harban's wider motivations for his political donations. In describing his motivation, he said he wants to take Britain back to the early days of Thatcher. He is suggesting that he thought that was a time when we had a much more dynamic economy, we were faring better as a country. And he sees it as a fundamental moral responsibility to try and get us back to that point. But that was separate to his explanation for why he gave the 5 million pounds, which he said was for security reasons.

[Annie Kelly]

And I think I'm right in saying that as of yet, no evidence has been provided to the public that the money was actually spent on security. And more generally, reform does seem to be a bit of a magnet for crypto billionaires. Has there been any questions raised in that sense about Nigel Farage's support of cryptocurrency?

[Anna Isaac]

They have never accepted that there's a connection between those two things, I should say, for reform uk. That said, they are hugely interested, supportive of cryptocurrency. The most influential bitcoin and crypto politician flew over here. Please, everybody out of your seats. Give this man a round of applause to get this started for us. Nigel, thank you for joining us here. Bitcoin 2025. Nigel Farage has himself appeared on adverts for a crypto company that is now run by former Chancellor Kwasi Kwateng and Reform are very clear that they want to take a very open approach to regulating cryptocurrency in the uk. So there's certainly an interesting alignment of interests there, potentially, even if it isn't something we could say, it's a pay for play.

[Annie Kelly]

And, Anna, you mentioned before, there are a number of outstanding questions that Nigel Farage has yet to answer about this gift.

[Anna Isaac]

There's a whole range of questions and I think this new story from sky is drawing attention because some of those questions are unanswered. For example, there's been a lot of scrutiny of the purchase of a property in Clacton on Sea, which is, of course, Nigel Farage's constituency. His partner bought a property there for £885,000. He has said on the record that he didn't give her the money for that, but in a recent interview for Le Monde, a French newspaper, she has said that she didn't pay for all of the property using an inheritance from her family. Family, which suggests it wasn't family money, which is slightly different from what Faraja said, which is, you know, she has a really wealthy family, so of course she was able to buy this property. So I think it would be really interesting to establish where the money for that purchase came from in light of the 5 million pound gift. What we haven't had answered by Reform, alongside those questions about the Clacton property are also whether or not any gifts from any donors were made to any other senior figures in reform or MPs for reform. We don't know the answer to that question. I would suggest the public interest and public debate that's now happening over the 5 million that suggests it would be in the public interest to find out more about that, whether or not there are other gifts at play.

[Annie Kelly]

And have Reform said anything about that? I presume you've asked them those questions directly.

[Anna Isaac]

We put those questions to them directly. They chose not to reply to our list of questions.

[Annie Kelly]

Have they chosen to reply to any questions about whether this is the only gift that Nigel Farage has received from. From Christopher Harborne as well?

[Anna Isaac]

They have touched upon it, they haven't answered it fully. So asked about a time period from 2016 to 2024, they said the £5 million was the only pound gift, but they haven't answered whether or not there could have been any other gifts from 2024 onwards or before 2016. And it's really important that we asked about all senior figures and MPs within reform and all donors, not just Christopher Harborne, all donors. And we don't know the answer to that question.

[Annie Kelly]

The revelation about this £5 million gift, which came from your story, it was published ahead of our recent local elections, where, as we know, reform did really well. But last Wednesday, the Parliamentary Standards Watchdog announced that it would be opening an inquiry into the gift. So could you just outline what the actual process will be?

[Anna Isaac]

What happens is that people in parties can make requests to the Commissioner for Parliamentary Standards and ask them to look into something. That's what happened here. So the Conservative Party Chair, Kevin Hollingrake, asked the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner to look into this gift and whether or not it ought to have been declared. The parliamentary authorities have replied, they said they are going to look into it. They haven't put a timeline on that, but what they have said is they're looking at it using this frame of MPs need to be conscientious. That's close to the language used, which is that MPs need to be really, really careful in terms of how they approach declarations and how they use that. So I think it's really testing whether or not that bar of being really, really careful and thoughtful has been met. But there's also the possibility of a second probe by the Electoral Commission, which has different powers to Parliament and a different remit. It looks more broadly at party funding rather than individual MPs. We're waiting here to see whether or not they will also open their own inquiry.

[Annie Kelly]

I mean, this sounds pretty serious, but what could the consequences be of both of those processes for Nigel Farage if he is found to be in breach of this code of conduct?

[Anna Isaac]

Because I know the approach that the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner are taking, I can speak better to that one, which is there's some really serious measures they can take. They have quite a big menu. But the most serious one, which you've seen reports addressing, is that if he's found to have made a really, really big mistake, he could face a 10 day suspension from Parliament. And the significance of that is that a suspension of that long could be sufficient to trigger a by election in his constituency. So that would be a very big deal if that were to happen.

[Annie Kelly]

But how likely is that to happen? I mean, that this inquiry will actually lead to something more than a slap on the wrist or a cause for no concern. Are there any other precedents, something like this taking place?

[Anna Isaac]

I'm not aware of one that specifically speaks to a gift of this size or specifically to a gift like this. What might be important is if it is found that he ought to have declared it, it won't be the first time that he has had to correct the register, so to speak. He said it was an oversight, but he didn't declare some other donations previously. In the instance of this gift, if it's found that he should have declared it, then there certainly will be some form of reprimand. But you're absolutely right that it could run the whole range of responses through to, yes, effectively a slap on the wrist and a very sorry and opposite on the register right through to something, you know, gravely serious, like a by election.

[Annie Kelly]

Even if he was confident in winning that by election, it would be really problematic for him, wouldn't it, to have to go through that very public process of fighting for his seat again.

[Anna Isaac]

Contesting a seat is a grueling, really demanding process. It would also potentially be a distraction from other plans. Reform UK are already looking ahead to next year when there will be more local elections and that's where they want to concentrate their attention and resources. And so it would certainly be a distraction from everything else that he is trying to achieve.

[Annie Kelly]

And this electoral Commission, would that be any different in terms of looking into how this gift was spent or used? Or is that again, more of a kind of bureaucratic process?

[Anna Isaac]

That's part of the point of the Electoral Commission. It has a lot of responsibilities, obviously towards UK elections, but that's a really broad brief. One of them is to monitor money that is spent on campaigning in politics in the uk. And so that will look a bit at the question, was this money used for security? Was it used for any party political purposes? And so that's what that probe could potentially look at if they decide to open one.

[Annie Kelly]

Coming up, why it might not be a great look taking 5 million pounds from a crypto king.

[Podcast Narrator]

A History of the United States in 100 Objects is a brand new podcast from 99% Invisible and BBC Studios. Each week we're looking at a different object from across American history with a unique story to tell about who we've been, what we've built and what we've allowed ourselves to forget. Some of these objects are well known, many are not, but all of them carry the story of how we got to this moment. Find a history of the United States and 100 objects on the 99% invisible feed wherever you get your podcasts.

[Annie Kelly]

One of Nigel Farage's selling points is that people feel like you know, he's not like other politicians. He's always talking about not being part of the political elite, but here he is accepting millions and millions of pounds from a crypto billionaire. But how have Reform supporters reacted to your reporting? Do you think it's made any kind of dent in their approval of him?

[Anna Isaac]

I've spoken to quite a few people who are involved with Reform one way or another. That's from sort of a few grassroots members right through to a very senior member of Reform, and they said that they did think it would have been, you know, that Nigel's a rock star. They said they do think it might have been better if he had declared it. Some of the grassroots activists I spoke to, it's a mix of views, so some completely brush it off. And they said, well, of course he needs security, nothing to see here. And some who feel that it is just so much money, they wish he'd set up a different arrangement, perhaps where he sort of accepted someone else providing him with security services, but they handled it rather than him being given a bit of cash. It's definitely mixed views among the members of Reform I've spoken to and certainly some sort of head scratching within some of the upper echelons of the party.

[Annie Kelly]

Has Nigel Farage said anything about how it's going down with his supporters or even his constituents in Clacton?

[Anna Isaac]

He has suggested that the view of his constituents in Clacton, in an interview that he did with the sun, with Harry Cole, who's its editor at large, he suggested the view of people in Clacton will be, you know, good on me.

[Nigel Farage]

See what people in Clacton say. Good luck to you, mate.

[Annie Kelly]

Yeah, they don't care.

[Nigel Farage]

No one cares. They care if you're a crook, which I'm not and never have been, but the fact that I made a few quid doing things, but that doesn't worry people at all.

[Annie Kelly]

It's interesting, isn't it, the way that Nigel Farage is able to weather these kind of storms compared to other politicians. I mean, Keir Starmer facing intense criticism at the beginning of his premiership for being seen to take freebies, Taylor Swift concerts, his wife taking, you know, designer clothing, multiple pairs of glasses costing thousands. He ended up paying back some of that. Does it seem to you that Farage is fantastic, facing the same levels of scrutiny?

[Anna Isaac]

I think that scrutiny is starting to build. I think because he has not yet held the highest office, he hasn't received yet the same level of scrutiny. But I think it's starting to build because it's very clear that as a political electoral force, reform is really, really significant in this country right now. I think one of the reasons that Labour came under so much pressure over some of those gifts as a newly formed government is that there is a sense amongst the public that they want to know what money you get, why you're getting it and what it's for.

[Annie Kelly]

And this kind of reporting must be really arduous and tough and you must face quite a bit of backlash when you publish your stories. Do you see this as being, you know, really firmly in the public interest?

[Anna Isaac]

I absolutely do. I have a long track record of looking into those lines between personal finances and political finances and the importance of making sure the public is in the know when there could be any perceived or actual conflicts of interest. I really see this as another story that walks that line that says, you know, yes, these are potentially someone's personal finances, but they are pertinent to examining whether or not there could be a conflict of interest here. I've done it for people on all kinds of parts of the political spectrum. It may feel to reform or misfarage that it's unfair. But I think the critical thing is here is that this is something that's important for anyone that's looking to take on those top jobs. They have to accept that there is a greater public interest in all of their finances than there would be if they were a private citizen.

[Annie Kelly]

And as you said, this is the man that could be our next prime minister.

[Anna Isaac]

Absolutely. The polls put him on a potential trajectory towards number 10.

[Annie Kelly]

Anna, thank you so much.

[Anna Isaac]

Thank you very much.

[Annie Kelly]

And that's it for today. My thanks to Anna Isaac and you can read all of her reporting on theguardian.com this episode was produced by Angelica Jobson and Saskia Collette and presented by me, Annie Kelly. The sound designer was Rudy Zagadlo and the executive producer was Sammy Kent. We'll be back later on with the latest. This is the Guardian.

[Podcast Narrator]

A History of the United States in 100 Objects is a brand new podcast from 99% Invisible and BBC Studios. Each week we're looking at a different object from across American history with a unique story to tell about who we've been, what we've built and what we've allowed ourselves to forget. Some of these objects are well known, many are not, but all of them carry the story of how we got to this moment. Find A History of the United States and 100 objects on the 99% invisible feed. Wherever you get your podcasts,