European Parliament President Antonio Tajani has “referred” the Brexit Party leader to the institution’s code of conduct watchdog committee, a senior source told Express.co.uk. Mr Farage could be pulled in front of the five-MEP advisory committee as early as June 4, unless they decide to hold an emergency session to scrutinise the Brexit Party leader’s funding. Last week, Channel 4 claimed that Mr Farage was handed £450,000 by Mr Banks, the Leave campaign’s largest single donor 

Mr Farage said he did not declare the funds, which were spent on renting a London flat and trips to the US in 2016, to the European Parliament because he was about to leave politics.

But a senior EU Parliament official confirmed to Express.co.uk the Brexiteer would face an investigation into his conduct.

The source said: “Mr Tajani decided to refer the case to the advisor committee on the code of conduct of members of the Parliament.

“MEPs are currently campaigning and not in Brussels, but it doesn’t mean they couldn’t convene like the Parliament can during an election.”

The Parliament’s rulebook states that MEPs must declare travel, accommodation or subsistence expenses from an external source in order to attend events.

MEPs are expected to handover the name and address of the funder, details of the expenses and the event attended.

The investigation into Mr Farage was sparked after Liberal Democrat Catherine Bearder urged the Parliament’s President to investigate the funding.

In her letter to Mr Tajani, she wrote: “An investigation by the British broadcaster Channel 4 News has revealed how millionaire Arron Banks spent approximately £450,000 on Nigel Farage MEP to fund a lavish lifestyle the year following the EU referendum in summer 2016.”

She added: “I can see no reference to any of the reported travel, accommodation, subsidies related to Mr Farage’s US tour on any of his declarations of financial interests on the Parliament’s website.

“I would ask you to investigate these apparent contraventions as a matter of urgency.”

Mrs Bearder welcomed news of the investigation as it filtered down from the Parliament’s most senior officials, responding she told Express.co.uk: “I’m simply asking the Parliament’s conduct committee to investigate Farage’s support.

“The public deserved to know where his money is coming from.”

Mr Farage is also being investigated domestically by the Electoral Commission, who have claimed they will visit the Brexit Party offices to review funding.

The Brexit Party leader accused Gordon Brown of a “disgusting smear” after the ex-Labour prime minister accused him of receiving large quantities of money via small “undeclared, untraceable payments”.

Express.co.uk has contacted Mr Farage and the Brexit Party for comment.

Last night Mr Farage said the Electoral Commission was “full of Remainers” and said the organisation’s officials had visited the Brexit Party’s offices as part of their investigation.

A Brexit Party spokesman said the elections watchdog “has not seen any evidence of electoral offences”.

They added: “We are pleased, but not surprised. We are keen to be as transparent as possible.”

At a packed-out London Rally, Mr Farage urged unhappy Tories to vote Brexit Party.

He said: “I’m asking for you to vote for us on Thursday as the first step to fundamentally changing politics for good in this country.

“We are attempting to a peaceful political revolution in this country.”

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