By Ahmed Abdelsalam
Businessman Arron Banks, a key ally of Nigel Farage and major donor to the Leave.EU campaign, has hired private investigators to target business rivals, political opponents and journalists, according to new revelations.
Seven-year dispute drives surveillance operation
Banks, who is seeking to become Reform UK’s candidate in the North East Somerset constituency, has engaged a firm called Precision Risk and Intelligence (PRI) to conduct surveillance on two entities locked in a seven-year legal battle with him: insurance company Talanx and law firm Kennedys. The operation includes creating a whistleblowing initiative to gather potentially damaging information from staff at those organizations.
Journalists and politicians also targeted
The same investigative company was previously used to monitor journalists at the Sunday Times who were investigating Farage and other senior Reform UK figures. There are also claims that PRI was tasked with obtaining material on Conservative Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake.
Farage connection and Leave.EU revival
Banks has been a long-time associate of Farage, funding the 2016 Brexit campaign and appearing alongside him with Donald Trump. Farage recently stated he is “reactivating” Leave.EU with Banks, citing Labour leader Andy Burnham’s suggestion of rejoining the EU as motivation. At a Reform UK event in Plymouth last month, Farage said he had spoken with Banks and planned to meet again.
Banks responds to allegations
Contacted by The Independent, Banks declined to comment on the Talanx and Kennedys dispute. Regarding the Sunday Times allegations, he described the journalist involved as “an activist” and told the Mail on Sunday: “If you live by the sword you die by the sword.” On his candidacy prospects, he said he has publicly discussed standing if a by-election occurs. Talanx, Kennedys, Reform UK and the Solicitors Regulation Authority all declined to comment.
