Nigel Farage has emerged as the highest-earning MP, earning nearly £1.2 million annually from his role as a presenter for GB News. According to the new parliamentary register of interests, Farage makes £97,900 a month from the channel co-owned by billionaire Paul Marshall.
Farage also disclosed that a July trip to the US, following an attempted assassination of Donald Trump, cost £32,000 and was funded by Christopher Harborne, a Thai-based crypto investor and former donor to the Brexit party. The trip was described as supporting a friend and representing Clacton on the global stage.
Additionally, Farage’s April trip to the National Conservatism Conference in Brussels cost £9,250 and was funded by George Cottrell, an unofficial aide with a past conviction for money laundering.
Farage’s social media earnings include £1,550 from X, £853 from Meta, and £4,000 from Cameo videos. He also receives £4,000 monthly from the Daily Telegraph.
Jo Maugham, founder of the Good Law Project, questioned whether Farage’s earnings reflect public service. Previously, the highest-earning MP was Geoffrey Cox, who makes £293,400 from his barrister role and received £379,000 from an Indian chambers for work done between 2016 and 2018.
The register also revealed that Keir Starmer received four tickets with hospitality to a Taylor Swift concert, valued at £4,000, from the Football Association. This follows scrutiny over £76,000 in freebies and hospitality he accepted while in opposition.
Moreover, the register highlighted substantial donations from the Labour Together thinktank, which contributed nearly £900,000 to the general election campaigns of 106 new MPs. These donations, ranging from £5,000 to £10,000, primarily supported candidates new to parliament. Labour Together also funded staff and research services for 10 ministers, including Rachel Reeves, Yvette Cooper, and David Lammy.