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Nigel Farage defended his party's acceptance of £72 million in donations from two billionaire crypto-currency entrepreneurs, Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne, stating they are legally entitled voters in the UK. Despite questions about their residency, Farage claims both men have been registered to vote in Britain for years, allowing them to make large political contributions under current laws. Labour plans to cap foreign-based British citizen donations at £100,000 annually but this change would not affect past or future donations from Delo and Harborne according to Farage's assertions.
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.
Leaning score +0.35 for article 10504 (high confidence, 2 verified quotes) · logged 2026-09-15
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Nigel Farage insisted his party's two billionaire donors are 'voters in the UK' who are entitled to give any amount of money to a political party under current laws.
asserted
who → see → laws
Questions have swirled about Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne since the weekend, when they confirmed they were giving Reform UK a record-breaking £36million each.
asserted
they → swirl → 36million
The two crypto-currency billionaires have both spent years abroad, where they would have been caught by Labour's crackdown on foreign donors.
asserted
they → spend → donors
Reform's deputy leader Richard Tice yesterday declined to say when the two men had relocated to the UK.
asserted
men → decline → UK
But party leader Mr Farage said their donations were '100 per cent compliant with the law today'.
asserted
donations → say → law
He said the huge sums had come from 'two very successful British entrepreneurs', adding: 'Crucially they are two British entrepreneurs that are voters in the UK and, under the legislation, they are perfectly entitled to make these donations.'
Labour is planning to change the law to cap donations from British citizens who are based abroad at £100,000 a year.
asserted
who → say → 100,000
Downing Street confirmed that this would be backdated to March 25 this year.
asserted
this → confirm → March
After that point, any donor would have to prove that they had been resident in the UK for at least 12 months.
asserted
they → have → months
Nigel Farage insisted his party's two billionaire donors are 'voters in the UK' who are entitled to give any amount of money to a political party under current laws
In an interview in April this year, Mr Delo, who spent years in Hong Kong, said he would 'move back to Britain early so I can contribute more to Reform's budget'.
asserted
I → insist → budget
However, official records that were seen by the Daily Mail suggest Mr Delo has been registered to vote at a property in Oxfordshire since 2022, which could allow him to escape Labour's planned crackdown.
uncertain
him → see → crackdown
Records also suggest that Mr Harborne, who spent years in Thailand, has been registered to vote in Hampshire on and off since 2020.
asserted
who → suggest → 2020
Last year, he was registered in a constituency where he owns a property under the heading 'other electors', which can include overseas voters living abroad.
asserted
which → register → voters
Mr Harborne is reported to have changed his voter registration in June this year.
asserted
Harborne → report → June
However, he does not appear to have been registered in the UK at all in either 2021 or 2024.
asserted
he → appear → 2021
Conservative frontbencher Baroness O'Neill told peers it was 'our current understanding that these donations would be caught by the overseas contributors cap'.
asserted
donations → tell → cap
But Mr Farage defended the donations – and added that any attempt by Labour to block them would be 'fought by us with all the might we have'.
uncertain
we → defend → might
The Reform UK leader said that rival parties were 'having kittens' at the idea that the scale of the donations could 'level the playing field' at the next election.
uncertain
scale → say → election
He said that Reform spent only £5.5million at the 2024 general election, compared with £30million by Labour and £23million by the Conservatives.
asserted
Reform → say → Conservatives
Downing Street confirmed that Cabinet Office minister Louise Haigh has now written to the Electoral Commission asking for the spending limits to be reviewed.
asserted
limits → confirm → Commission
Ms Haigh said the £34million spending limit at elections was 'too high, and ought to be reduced'.
asserted
limit → say → elections
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