REFORM UK has reportedly told its councillors to describe a police investigation into donations linked to a convicted fraudster and crypto-entrepreneur as a “hit job” and a “smear.”

Leaked internal briefing documents sent to the hard-right party’s thousands of local representatives included instructions about how to discuss the Met donation inquiry, it was revealed today.

Councillors were told to respond to questions about the probe into donations from the mother of George Cottrell with: “It is now clear that the Establishment will try anything to stop us,” according to The Times.

They were also instructed to say that “the British people are tired of the Establishment media doing anything they can to stop Reform.”

And: “A daily routine of hit jobs and smears will not deter us from winning the next general election and fixing broken Britain.”

A criminal investigation has been launched into a donation of at least £500,000 to Reform by Fiona Cottrell, the mother of convicted fraudster Mr Cottrell, aka “Posh George.”

It followed an Insight investigation which found Reform boss Nigel Farage had been secretly funded by the crypto-gambler.

Police have reportedly questioned Mr Cottrell under caution in relation to the probe.

Investigations were also opened into Posh George’s support for Mr Farage by the parliamentary commissioner for standards, and into a previous undeclared £5 million donation from crypto-billionaire Christopher Harborne.

These were halted when the Reform boss resigned from his Clacton seat, triggering a by-election but will restart should he win it back in August.

Further instructions to councillors included template responses to a Sunday Times investigation detailing Mr Cottrell’s funding of Mr Farage with: “The Establishment media are throwing everything they can at Nigel because they are terrified of Reform.”

A Reform spokesperson said: “The British people are tired of the Establishment media doing anything they can to stop Reform.”