Reform, Nigel Farage's party, has begun spending its £72 million donation from two crypto-billionaires despite potential legal risks. The donations may need to be returned if new legislation is passed, as both donors spent extended periods abroad. Labour has hinted it might amend laws to block such large foreign donations. Meanwhile, Reform chairman Lee Anderson warned of reciprocal actions against Labour's union funding if the party comes into power.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-15,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Reform UK, a newly-formed British political party led by Nigel Farage, received an unprecedented £72 million in donations over two days at the end of June. The donations came from Christopher Harborne and Ben Delo, both wealthy crypto investors who have recently returned to Britain, with each contributing £36 million. This is the largest political donation in British history.
Farage announced that these funds will be used to professionalize Reform UK, hiring campaign managers in target constituencies and acquiring expert policy advisors. The party aims to prepare for a potential early general election by building expertise needed to run a government effectively.
However, this influx of cash has sparked controversy, with critics arguing it undermines democratic processes and calls for stricter donation caps. Labour MPs are pushing for a cap on individual donations at £100,000 annually, while some suggest retrospective rules to invalidate the recent large donations.
Farage insists that these contributions comply with current laws but acknowledges uncertainty about future regulations being debated in Parliament. The controversy highlights ongoing debates over foreign influence and political funding reform in British politics. Reform UK's financial strength could challenge established parties like Labour and Conservatives in upcoming elections, adding a new dimension to political dynamics in Britain.
Written for “Reform UK Donations Controversy” on 2026-09-17,
grounded in this article and the 16 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
verbatim and was checked against the article text before being
stored, so you can find it in the original.
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Labour has suggested it could amend the law to outlaw the huge sums handed over – they have both spent years abroad, where they would have been caught by Labour's crackdown on foreign donors.
left frames Labour's proposed restrictions as a positive measure
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'Let's not forget, it's up to the British public who runs this country, not Angela Rayner, not the donors, not the unions. It's up to the British public,' he told GB News.
right emphasizes individual choice and responsibility over collective action
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'And when we do win the next general election, if they want to play silly games, then we can play them games as well and we will introduce legislation that will stop the unions funding the Labour Party.
right frames potential restrictions on union funding as a retaliatory measure
Leaning score +0.35 for article 10472 (high confidence, 3 verified quotes) · logged 2026-09-15
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Reform has started spending its £72million windfall from its two crypto-billionaire donors, despite fears that they may have to hand it back.
uncertain
they → see → it
Nigel Farage's party has already started ploughing the cash from Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne into hiring more staff and setting up Reform TV online.
asserted
party → start → TV
But Labour has suggested it could amend the law to outlaw the huge sums handed over – they have both spent years abroad, where they would have been caught by Labour's crackdown on foreign donors.
uncertain
they → suggest → donors
Party leader Mr Farage said their donations were '100 per cent compliant with the law today' and a source told the Mail they were similarly confident 'they won’t ever have to be handed back'.
asserted
they → say → Mail
It came as party chairman Lee Anderson suggested a Reform government would introduce legislation to stop the unions funding Labour should Andy Burnham take away their money.
uncertain
Burnham → come → money
'Let's not forget, it's up to the British public who runs this country, not Angela Rayner, not the donors, not the unions.
asserted
who → forget → country
It's up to the British public,' he told GB News.
asserted
he → tell → News
'And when we do win the next general election, if they want to play silly games, then we can play them games as well and we will introduce legislation that will stop the unions funding the Labour Party.
asserted
unions → win → Party
Nigel Farage's party has already started ploughing the cash from Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne into hiring more staff and setting up Reform TV online
But party leader Mr Farage said their donations were '100 per cent compliant with the law today'.
asserted
donations → start → law
'You know what?
asserted
You → know → what
They need to think very carefully.
asserted
They → need → ?
'
Ministers have already moved to introduce a £100,000 cap on the amount of money that can be given to political parties by British citizens based overseas, which would also apply for the first 12 months after any expats return to the UK.
asserted
expats → move → UK
The changes would be backdated to this March, raising questions about whether Reform can keep the twin £36million donations from Ben Delo, who was based in Hong Kong, and Christopher Harborne, who was based in Thailand.
asserted
who → backdate → Thailand
But amid reports both men have already returned to the country, ministers are looking at how to toughen residency requirements governing political donations.
asserted
ministers → return → donations
In a parliamentary debate as part of the second reading of the Government's Representation of the People Bill in the Lords on Monday, minister Baroness Taylor said: 'In addition to introducing a robust regime that ensures donors contributing above the £100,000 annual cap must demonstrate a genuine and ongoing connection to the United Kingdom, we are considering how we will strengthen the residency requirements including ensuring the length of time spent in the UK aligns with broader government policy.'
asserted
length → say → policy
Government sources said an enhanced test would mean donors also have to demonstrate an ongoing presence in the UK, details of which will be set out shortly.
asserted
details → say → which
Areas that have existing residency requirements include immigration law, welfare and tax.
asserted
that → have → law
For example, HMRC declares people resident if they have lived in the UK for 183 days a year.
asserted
they → declare → days
Earlier on Monday, Mr Farage acknowledged Reform UK's record-breaking windfall may fall foul of Government efforts to clamp down on foreign donors, and hit out against the move to apply the new law retrospectively.
uncertain
windfall → acknowledge → law
Mr Farage told the BBC on Monday he believed the two donations were 'compliant' with the law as it stands, but suggested they would not be acceptable as a result of a law change in the Representation of the People Bill, which has now entered committee stage.
uncertain
which → tell → stage
Asked whether Mr Delo and Mr Harborne were UK residents as of March 25, as this would have an impact on their donations, he said: 'I'm not going to go into their particular details.
asserted
I → ask → details
'All I'm going to say is, with the law of the land as it stands, they are both compliant.
asserted
they → go → land
'Now, there is talk, and Angela Rayner was talking about this yesterday, there is talk of them retrospectively declaring donations illegally.
asserted
them → be → donations
The Aporia
