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Michael Gove is a British journalist and former Conservative cabinet minister. He represented Surrey Heath in Parliament from 2005 to 2024 and later became editor of The Spectator. His government posts included education secretary, justice secretary and environment secretary, as well as secretary of state for levelling up, housing and communities. He studied at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, and worked in journalism before entering Parliament.
We have documented 1 statement by Michael Gove, in 1 case. Each statement below gives the quotation, its original source and a link to the full case.
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Role at the time: Spectator editor and former cabinet minister
Defended or excused
Statement summary
Gove says the donors should be entitled to spend their money within the law. He worries that Farage will spend the donations on campaigning rather than detailed preparation for government, citing his past choices and briefing about a TV channel and campaign managers.
“they should be entitled, within the law, to spend it as they wish.”
The reference point is Reform UK's acceptance of the two donations. Gove says the donors should be entitled, within the law, to spend their money as they wish, which defends the gifts.
Read how Nigel Farage, the two donors, union leader Paul Nowak, Labour, Liberal Democrat and Conservative politicians and a transparency campaigner responded after Reform UK accepted 36 million pounds each from Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne in September 2026.
