The investigation was a response to the conclusion of Nathan Hill, the former leader of the Reform UK party in Wales, who admitted that he received bribes for pro-Russian statements in the media and in the European Parliament.
As Reuters wrote, Hill was sentenced in November to 10 and a half years in prison.
A statement from Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary Steve Reid said the review was intended to assess current threats from foreign countries and their proxies, and to develop proposals for updating legislation to effectively tackle political interference and espionage.
“The conviction of … Hill for bribery, along with other recent cases, has exposed the vulnerabilities of Britain's political and electoral systems, in particular politicians who are the target of foreign persecution. The Government is committed to ensuring that legislation is developed to effectively combat this threat,” the letter said.
The results of the review are expected to be ready by the end of March 2026. Reid said Philip Rycroft, the former Brexit permanent secretary appointed to lead the inquiry, would assess how effective the current rules are and promised that the report would be published in full.
