Nigel Farage has warned Britain is a ‘complainant society’ too quick to demand investigations into politicians, as he defended his decision to accept £5m from a Reform donor.

The party leader lashed out at the standards system in Parliament and said he would seek to remove MPs’ ability to decide punishments if he becomes prime minister in his first interview since returning as MP for Clacton.

Speaking to the BBC he said he hoped that the probe by independent standards commissioner Daniel Greenberg would come to a speedy conclusion, having been delayed by the by-election Mr Farage triggered in Essex. 

It is looking at whether the money, which the Reform leader says was a private gift before the 2024 election, should have been declared to authorities. 

If Mr Greenberg believes Mr Farage has broken the rules, he will refer the case to the Commons Standards Committee, which has the power to suspend him – potentially triggering another by-election.

‘To be judged by members of Parliament of other political parties who you’re fighting against in by-elections or general elections, I think that raises questions,’ Mr Farage told the broadcaster.

‘Surely we need to have people who are actually apolitical making those decisions.’

He added: ‘(The) Point is, we live in a complainant society. If you complain about me, automatically that triggers an investigation. 

‘So we’re under investigation every day for virtually everything we do, because the other political parties are constantly writing to all the authorities.’

The party leader lashed out at the standards system in Parliament and said he would remove MPs’ ability to decide punishments if he becomes prime minister in his first interview since returning as MP for Clacton.

Speaking to the BBC he said he hoped that the probe by independent standards commissioner Daniel Greenberg would come to a speedy conclusion, having been delayed by the by-election Mr Farage triggered in Essex .

The Reform UK leader vacated his seat on the House of Commons’ green benches earlier this year, to trigger a poll in his Clacton constituency.

He stood in the by-election, which took place last month, and won with a majority of 12,784 ahead of Count Binface, the self-styled ‘intergalactic space warrior’ after the other main parties boycotted it.

Mr Farage is being investigated over cash received from Mr Harborne before he was first elected to the Commons in 2024.  

If Mr Greenberg finds against him and the panel decides to suspend him for at least 10 sitting days, a recall petition will be held, which will lead to a further by-election if 10 per cent of eligible voters in Clacton sign it.

Mr Farage reiterated his believe that the gift was ‘purely personal.’

‘It was given, no strings attached. It was unconditional, but the intention was very clear that I am someone who the state, despite being asked repeatedly to help, just refuses to do so, and I’m going to need a degree of security for as long as I live, it’s just as simple as that.,’ he told the BBC.

‘It wasn’t a political donation. It wasn’t used to fight a campaign or anything like that. So I think my judgment was right. Anyway, if they find me guilty, they find me guilty of not filling in a piece of paper.’