Nigel Farage latest: Leader battles to contain donations scandal – while police probe Reform crowd altercation

Nigel Farage latest: Leader battles to contain donations scandal – while police probe Reform crowd altercation It comes as party confirms plans to raise tax-free personal allowance to £15,000 - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Police have asked a woman who had her hair and head grabbed at the Reform UK conference to come forward as they carry out an investigation. Footage circulating on social media has shown audience members pulling the protester back as disorder broke out during the event at Birmingham's NEC. Demonstrators were thrown out of the party's annual conference after interrupting Nigel Farage's keynote speech on Friday. It comes as the Reform leader is battling to contain a fresh scandal into donations after footage appeared to show senior Reform figures discussing how to disguise donations from foreign sources. Senior Reform officials James Orr and Dan Jukes have stepped down and the party launched an investigation after the report was broadcast by Channel 4 News. Mr Farage claimed the allegations broadcast by Channel 4 that his party breached political donation rules have been made because “they’re scared of us”. Zia Yusuf, the party’s home affairs spokesperson, has distanced himself from the two suspended men: “It’s just not something I am personally involved in.” The Times reports that these claims are expected to widen the police investigation which is examining donations worth £500,000 made to the party. Jenrick claims Farge would 'crush Argentina over Falklands Nigel Farage would “crush” Argentina if he were prime minister, Robert Jenrick has said. On the second and final day of Reform’s annual conference in Birmingham, Mr Jenrick said: “If Nigel Farage was our prime minister, we would use every lever of the British state, our Armed Forces, our economic sanctions – everything to defend the Falklands. And we would crush Argentina.” Jenrick in Twitter resignation stunt To publicise Reform’s tax-free allowance policy, Robert Jenrick has allowed himself a little Twitter stunt: Jenrick confirms plans to raise tax-free personal allowance to £15,000 Robert Jenrick confirmed his promise to raise the tax-free personal allowance to £15,000. The Reform UK economic spokesman told the party conference: “Here is my pledge to you and to the country. “In the first 100 days of a Reform government, in our first Reform budget, we will raise the tax-free personal allowance from £12,570, not just with inflation, not just to £13,000, not just to £14,000, but to £15,000. “The first 15 grand you earn is yours. Every penny, every penny is yours tax-free, £500 a year for the average basic rate taxpayer.” He said: “A tax cut for 40 million people. The biggest rise in the personal allowance in its history, and delivered not in 10 years but in my very first budget.” Mr Jenrick added: “If I don’t deliver this exactly when I have said that I will, I will resign. No ifs, not buts, I will be gone.” Laila Cunningham receives double standing ovation as she closes out conference speech Laila Cunningham received a double standing ovation at Reform conference as she declared that the "people that broke" London "cannot be the ones to fix it". There were loud cheers for Ms Cunningham as she set out her pitch for the capital and closed out her high energy speech - a marked change from the slightly downbeat tone at Reform's conference. Laila Cunningham says she wants 'London to be a city where millionaires happen' More from Laila Cunningham: Giving her pitch to be the next London mayor, she has said she wants "London to be a city where millionaires happen". "I'm not standing for mayor merely to tell you what has gone wrong in London. I don't want to be another commentator commenting on decline. I want to be the person who ends it.", she said. "I want to restore the promise London gave me and have my family. I want a child growing up in Kilburn to believe the thing which makes them different might one day become their strength. "I want the woman sitting at her kitchen table with an idea to believe she can build the next great company."I want London to be a city where millionaires happen, where the nurse, the police officer, the teacher and the small business owner can afford a life." Laila Cunningham says she wants 'criminals looking over their shoulders, not Londoners' Earlier at the conference was Laila Cunningham, who has said she will have a "zero tolerance" approach to crime if she becomes London Mayor. She claimed Britain has reached a stage "where crime is excused", adding that Reform is "fighting for justice for the victims and not for the criminals". She added: "When I say there will be zero tolerance for crime, I mean it. "I'm running because I want criminals looking over their shoulders, not Londoners." Protester could come forward after police appeal Activist group Climate Resistance have claimed responsibility for the protest during Nigel Farage’s speech yesterday, PA reports. The group said it was “horrified at the violence” from Reform conference audience members, with a women having her hair pulled and her head grabbed. The group also said the protester is considering whether to come forward to police. Anderson accuses schools of 'brainwashing' children after he was compared to Mussolini Lee Anderson has accused schools in Britain of "brainwashing our children" after he was compared to dictator Benito Mussolini. "Our schools, our education system are indoctrinating our children", Reform's chairman said. I visited a school in Ashfield a few months ago to check on the year 9 history lessons and on the wall they've got a chart. And on the chart it described different types of politicians. "On the right hand side of the chart, it had words like 'far right, nazis, fascists'. And underneath, they've got some pictures: Mussolini, Oswald Mosley, me and Nigel [Farage]." "You might find that mildly amusing but I tell you what, it's not mildly amusing to the thousands of people in Ashfield who voted for me at the last general election. Many of whose children are in that class still doing history. "Imagine that kid going home and saying to his mum and dad, 'dad you voted for a nazi or a fascist or someone who is on the far right of politics.' Theyre brainwashing our children, these idiots. They must be stupid." Anderson dubs 'refugees welcome' politicians 'idiots' who 'need to get a grip' Lee Anderson has dubbed politicians who believe refugees should be welcome in Britain "idiots" who "need to get a grip". He told Reform's conference: "These idiots - and there's quite a few idiots at the moment in parliament - who say these young men crossing the channel are in genuine need, they need to get a grip." And if they are that genuine, if they are doctors and engineers and scientists, why is it that these namby-pamby 'refugees welcome' politicians, once they're told that a nearby camp is going to house 1,200 illegal migrants they're suddenly up in arms? "They're protesting saying 'its not suitable, we've not got the right infrastructure'. Absolute hypocrites the lot of them." Reform's downbeat conference winds down Reform's downbeat conference feels much more subdued today as the event winds down after a chaotic few days of protesters, a media storm around Nigel Farage's closest aides and questions over whether the party is even remotely ready for government. With just a few main stage speeches remaining, many journalists and lobbyists have already left. Meanwhile, only around half of the fringe stages are in use this morning, with many of the smaller events having taken place yesterday. Mr Farage will be hoping this afternoon's main stage speeches - given by both Suella Braverman and Malcolm Offord - are upbeat enough to make up for what has been a difficult conference and lift the mood as Reform attempts to draw a line under the chaos and damning allegations that have marred the party's leadership for months. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments