Former Conservative MP Heather Wheeler has dismissed Nigel Farage’s explanation over a £5 million gift, insisting his argument that it was a private matter because it was received before he declared his intention to stand for Parliament “just doesn’t wash”.

Speaking on GB News, Wheeler said the questions surrounding the Reform UK leader were not going to disappear, arguing that the public had a legitimate interest in understanding how political figures acquire and declare significant financial gifts.

“Allegations against him just are not going to go away,” Wheeler said. “People are fascinated by how people get involved in politics and then what makes them tick once they’re there.”

She rejected Mr Farage’s suggestion that the £5 million gift was a private matter because it was received around six months before he declared for Parliament.

“The idea that the £5 million gift was a private matter because it happened, say, six months before he declared for Parliament, it’s sort of just, it just doesn’t wash,” she said.

Wheeler argued that the rules governing MPs’ declarations were straightforward and said gifts and financial interests received during the relevant period must be declared.

“The simple rules are, for the 12 months before you get elected as an MP, you have to declare gifts and, in effect, friendships, so your business arrangements,” she said.

“I think maybe hubris is going to come into it because he thinks he’s above it. He’s not. Everybody has to do it. It really is simple.”

‘All he needs to do is write out the details’
Asked whether the scrutiny of Mr Farage was proportionate, given his argument that the controversy was part of an establishment campaign against him, Wheeler said the size of the gift made the issue particularly significant.

“Five million pounds is an amount beyond most people’s ken,” she said.

Wheeler argued that if Mr Farage had failed to provide the required information, the issue could ultimately be resolved by engaging with the relevant parliamentary process.

“If he’s guilty of anything, it’s not filling in a little piece of paper correctly. He’s done absolutely nothing illegal,” she said.

Her advice to Mr Farage was to cooperate with the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards rather than prolong the dispute.

“All he needs to do is write out the details, get involved with the commission, don’t hesitate, don’t prevaricate,” Wheeler said.

“Just literally within seven days, within 48 hours, send a reply back that’s absolutely factual and then if the commissioner says this is completely understandable, then there’s no place to answer and it’s been dealt with.”

She said it was the perceived prevarication that risked frustrating those conducting the investigation.

“It’s the prevaricating that people find very annoying,” she said.

Wheeler draws comparison with Burnham
The conversation also turned to the decision by Mr Farage to resign as an MP and trigger a by-election in Clacton.

Asked whether he might regret the decision, Wheeler acknowledged the cost of holding a by-election but questioned whether the same criticism could be applied to the Makerfield contest that saw Andy Burnham return to Parliament.

“If you’re talking about spending public money, a quarter of a million pounds on a by-election, you could equally say how outrageous the Makerfield by-election was,” she said.

She also pointed to the Greater Manchester mayoral election and the wider cost of political contests.

Wheeler then questioned the circumstances surrounding Mr Burnham’s return to Westminster, arguing that the Prime Minister would now face scrutiny over his own declaration of interests.

“He’s now got to fill in his declaration form. He’s got to fill in the jobs that his wife’s got, where all that came from, and I think people will be quite interested in the scrutiny in that declaration,” she said.

Wheeler’s comments came as Mr Farage faces continued scrutiny over the £5 million gift and questions surrounding his financial declarations.

She said the controversy ultimately raised a wider question about whether Mr Farage’s opposition to the political establishment would continue to resonate with voters beyond his Clacton constituency.

“Does this sort of argument that it’s him against the establishment work?” Wheeler asked. “Clearly, I think it’s going to work. And will it work for the rest of the country? Well, I think that question remains unanswered.”