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Anti-corruption campaigners and the Liberal Democrats are calling for fresh investigations into Russian interference in British politics, after Reform UK's former leader in Wales admitted to taking bribes to make statements in favour of Russia.

Last Friday's guilty plea in the trial of Nathan Gill, Reform UK's former leader in Wales, demonstrates the "real risks of foreign interference and corruption" in Britain's politics, according to the monitoring group Spotlight on Corruption.

Appearing at the Old Bailey last week, Gill admitted he accepted corrupt payments in exchange for making pro-Russia statements in 2018 and 2019 as a UKIP Member of the European Parliament when Nigel Farage was leader. Gill also represented north Wales in the Welsh Parliament for the Reform predecessor party. The prosecution successfully argued he received bribes from Oleg Voloshyn, a former Ukrainian official under ousted pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych.

Nathan Gill pleaded guilty to eight out of nine counts under the Bribery Act, admitting receiving financial advantages in the form of money between December 2018 and July 2019 which constituted "improper performance" of his role as an elected official. He is due to be sentenced on 21st November.

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The Liberal Democrats' Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Calum Miller has now said a new investigation should be launched looking into potential ties between Nigel Farage, Reform UK and Russia following the latest revelations. The party has said that a review by Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee should be completed and laid before Parliament before the next General Election.

News outlet Nation.Cymru revealed in 2023 that Gill had been on multiple trips organised by people suspected of being Russian agents, including Ukraine and Moldova.

Susan Hawley, Executive Director of Spotlight on Corruption, said the UK must ensure that it has "robust, and well-resourced law enforcement response across the board to tackle corruption and electoral interference."

"The Government also needs to be far more transparent about the levels of foreign interference that the UK faces, and what it is doing to tackle it. It should be reporting annually to parliament on this," she added.

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It comes after Reform boss Zia Yusuf appeared to dodge questions about the issue on Monday morning after BBC Breakfast showed a series of photos of Nigel Farage campaigning with Nathan Gill during previous Welsh elections.

Farage was previously paid to appear on Russia Today before it was banned in the UK in 2022. The Reform UK leader also previously declared that Putin is the world leader he admires the most. Farage led UKIP and served in the European Parliament with Gill, though there is no suggestion the former was involved in illegality.

Calum Miller, Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, said: "The revelations in recent days show the lengths to which Russia will go to subvert our democracy and influence our politics. There is a strong case for the Intelligence and Security Committee to launch a new inquiry into Russian interference in our politics,...