Reform UK deputy investigated for defending Israel commercial ties

Richard Tice, deputy leader of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party, is facing an ethics investigation after allegedly failing to declare a potential conflict of interest during parliamentary discussions about scientific and commercial cooperation with Israel. During the debate, Tice praised Israeli innovation, saying: “There’s genius in it, I want more of that for us.” Tice has dismissed the inquiry as politically motivated, claiming it stems from complaints by pro-Palestinian groups angered by his criticism of antisemitism. The investigation centres on whether he should have declared relevant interests before participating in the discussion. Reform UK has positioned itself as strongly supportive of Israel, with Tice’s comments reflecting the party’s pro-Israel stance at a time of heightened tensions in the Middle East and growing debate within British politics over Israel policy. The party’s leader Nigel Farage himself faced separate scrutiny over donation disclosures, adding to questions about Reform UK’s transparency standards. The investigation comes as the party’s poll ratings have declined from their earlier peaks, with the ethics probe potentially compounding recent difficulties for the anti-establishment movement.

Source: Ynet — Original article in Hebrew.