Former Reform UK politician pleads guilty to pro-Russia bribery charges

Former Reform UK politician pleads guilty to pro-Russia bribery charges

LONDON (Reuters) -A British former member of the European parliament and ex-leader of Reform UK in Wales pleaded guilty on Friday to bribery charges relating to pro-Russian statements he had made.

Nathan Gill appeared at London's Old Bailey court and pleaded guilty to eight counts of bribery relating to payments from December 2018 and July 2019, agreeing to accept money "constituting the improper performance ... as the holder of (an) elected office".

The 52-year-old denied a further charge of conspiracy to commit bribery with former Ukrainian politician Oleg Voloshyn.

Judge Bobbie Cheema-Grubb said it was a serious matter, telling Gill he had admitted being paid to ask questions and make statements at the European parliament "in support of pro-Russian parties" in the context of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Prosecutor Mark Heywood said the bribery charges related to WhatsApp messages recovered from Gill's phone when it was seized by police in 2021.

Heywood said the messages showed Gill's agreement to receive money in return for certain activities such as posing questions for consideration to the parliament, making contact with senior officials, arranging events and making statements.

Gill became a member of the European parliament for the UK Independence Party in 2014 and led the party in Wales from 2016.

He left UKIP in 2018 and joined the Brexit Party, the predecessor of Reform UK, the following year. Gill remained an elected member of the European parliament until Britain left the European Union in 2020.

Reform declined to comment.

Gill was released on bail until he is sentenced on November, but was warned by Cheema-Grubb that he faced a "substantial custodial sentence".

(Reporting by Michael Holden, Writing by Sam Tobin, Editing by Timothy Heritage)