Reform councillors told to describe donations inquiry as establishment stitch-up

‘Daily routine of hit jobs and smears will not deter us from winning next general election,’ party briefing notes say Reform UK has instructed its councillors to describe a police investigation into donations from the mother of George Cottrell as an establishment stitch-up, as polling showed the party’s popularity plummeting. Internal briefing documents circulated to the party’s councillors included instructions to respond to questions about a Metropolitan police investigation into party dona...

By Alexandra Topping, Political correspondent