Ex-leader of Reform Wales pleads guilty to bribery tied to pro-Russia statements in EU Parliament

Nathan Gill, the former leader of Reform UK in Wales, pleaded guilty Friday at the Old Bailey to eight counts of bribery connected to statements made in the European Parliament and in written opinion pieces that were allegedly made to support a pro-Russia narrative regarding events in Ukraine. He also denied a single count of conspiracy to commit bribery during the hearing.

The court heard that the elected Welsh member of the European Parliament was instructed by former Ukrainian politician Oleg Voloshyn to make targeted statements in exchange for payments. The charges cover conduct between December 6, 2018 and July 18, 2019, and the conspiracy charge spans January 1, 2018 to February 1, 2020. Prosecutors said the statements were "supportive of a particular narrative" that would benefit Russia regarding events in Ukraine.

Prosecutor Mark Heywood KC said the guilty pleas were satisfactory because the bribery charges reflected the criminal activities involved. He noted Gill’s cooperation and the timing of the admission as factors in the proceedings.

Gill’s political career has been marked by a series of transitions. He was first elected as a UKIP member of the European Parliament in 2014, a role that ended with Britain’s exit from the European Union in 2020, when he also stopped serving as an MEP for what became the Brexit Party. He later led Reform UK’s Welsh Parliament election campaign in 2021, but he is no longer a member of the party.

The case also touches on broader concerns about foreign influence in European institutions. Gill was stopped at Manchester Airport on September 13, 2021, under the Counter Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019, a detail cited in court proceedings surrounding the investigation.

The Old Bailey proceedings continue as prosecutors and defense counsel outline the next steps, including potential sentencing considerations. The outcome will influence ongoing discussions about how elected officials’ conduct is monitored in cross-border political contexts and the safeguards in place to prevent financial influence from outside actors affecting parliamentary discourse.