Nigel Farage has been slapped down by the election watchdog for questioning its impartiality, as the regulator visited the Brexit Party headquarters to probe the party’s controversial donation system.
The Brexit Party leader accused the Electoral Commission of being “absolutely full of Remainers” as it looked into whether his outfit was complying with the law on political funding.
Farage also claimed the regulator was staffed by “establishment figures” and was “not a neutral organisation”.
But the Commission insisted it was “right and proper” to look at the party’s donations system, especially in light of “significant public concern”, and stressing that the watchdog is an “independent and partial organisation”.
The regulator announced its visit to the Brexit Party offices after ex-prime minister Gordon Brown joined several public figures in questioning the source of its funding because donations are paid online through PayPal.
The online payment system does not track where the cash comes from, despite donations of more than £500 having to come from the UK.
The former Labour leader also insisted Farage had “history” with the Leave.EU campaign alongside tycoon donor Arron Banks, who Brown said had “made contacts with Russia”.
“We don’t know where his money comes from,” Brown said on Monday, pointing to three investigations into Leave.EU by the National Crime Agency, the Metropolitan Police and the Information Commissioner.
The Commission insisted its visit, which has lasted four hours and counting, was part of a “usual approach” and had nothing to do with Brown’s comments.
But Farage was furious and threatened to overhaul the Commission if he ever came to power.
He said: “I’ve got a team of four qualified accountants looking after our money, our income. I bet we’re more compliant than any of the other parties in this election.
“I’ve crossed with the Electoral Commission before – they are not a neutral organisation, absolutely full of Remainers, full of establishment figures.
“We are about not just leaving the European Union, the Brexit Party is about changing politics for good – getting SW1 and Westminster to reflect the country more broadly and the Electoral Commission are part of that huge reform that is needed.”
Farage said his party was looking for repeat donations, and had sent money back if it was unsure where it had come from.
“I’m not stupid. I’ve set this up to take on the Labour and Conservative parties who, I think, have betrayed the biggest democratic vote in our nation’s history. I know that when you do that the establishment will not come out with a tray of gin and tonics and say ‘well done’.
“I understand how it works. As I say, I’m not stupid, I’ve set this up properly, I’m entirely confident that we are more compliant than any of the other parties right now.”
A Commission spokesperson said: “As a newly registered party running a national election campaign who have put information into the public domain about the level of their fundraising, it is right and proper for the regulator to be in regular contact with the Brexit Party.
“We have been talking to the party since it registered, discussing the rules and the party’s systems. But recently we have seen significant public concern about the way the party raises funds. We have not seen evidence of electoral offences, but the law in this area is complex and we want to satisfy ourselves that the party’s systems are robust.
“Our regulatory work during this campaign – for the European Parliamentary elections – has not deviated from our usual approach. We are an independent and impartial organisation which is accountable to parliament. We regulate as is proportionate to the issue, regardless of a party’s politics. Our decision to visit is not related to comments made by the former prime minister.”