Nigel Farage announced that Reform UK received £72 million from crypto billionaires Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne over the past 48 hours. This significant donation aims to strengthen Reform's preparation for a potential general election, allowing it to challenge other parties seriously. The article highlights concerns raised by Labour MPs regarding the need for stricter limits on individual donations, while Farage emphasizes that these contributions comply with current laws and are not tied to future honors or benefits for donors.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-13,
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, led by Nigel Farage, received two record-breaking donations totaling £72 million in just two days, with Christopher Harborne and Ben Delo each contributing £36 million. Harborne is based in Thailand while Delo was previously involved with BitMEX. This unprecedented influx of funds, more than the total received by all UK political parties last year, aims to prepare Reform for government, though it has raised concerns about foreign influence and potential legal loopholes. The donations have sparked calls for caps on individual donations, including from Labour figures who argue they prevent wealthy individuals from "buying their way into democracy." Reform asserts that the donations are legal and will help them compete with larger established parties like Labour and Conservatives in future elections.
Written for “Reform UK Donations Controversy” on 2026-09-14,
grounded in this article and the 6 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it +0.30, but 1 quote(s) could not be found in the article and the other 1 are attributed speech rather than the article's own narration, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 8525: no verified evidence · logged 2026-09-13
Nigel Farage has said £72million in donations from two crypto billionaires will be used to prepare Reform UK for government.
asserted
72million → say → government
The Reform UK leader said the huge cash injection gives the party the financial firepower to mount a serious challenge at the next general election.
asserted
injection → say → election
Crypto billionaires Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne have handed Reform a combined £72million over the past 48 hours, dramatically reshaping the landscape of political funding in Britain.
asserted
Delo → hand → Britain
“Now the British people have a genuine alternative: a properly funded, professionally organised and determined party that will put this country's interests first once more.
asserted
that → have → interests
The sheer size of the donations has been met with opposition from government MPs.
asserted
size → meet → MPs
A wave of Labour MPs expressed fury on internal WhatsApp groups, arguing that the government should have acted faster to introduce a domestic donation cap.
asserted
government → express → cap
Many are now pushing to adopt a proposed amendment to cap individual donations at £100,000 annually.
asserted
Many → push → 100,000
"These two donations are entirely in line with the law as it is and, as far as we know, what it is going to be in the future," he told the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg.
asserted
he → know → Kuenssberg
The donations have given Reform a major boost after a summer dominated by scrutiny of the party’s finances, as Mr Jenrick said the money will enable Reform UK to be “battle ready” for a general election.
asserted
money → give → election
The treasury spokesperson denied suggestions by Kuenssberg that part of Reform UK’s agenda is “being very pro cryptocurrency” claiming he wanted to see “proper regulation” of cryptocurrency, which he described as being “a wild west in many respects”.
asserted
he → deny → respects
However, the shadow foreign secretary said the crypto industry “has backers in people who want to launder money”
asserted
who → say → money
Mr Jenrick earlier repeated assertions that the donors have asked for nothing in return and would not receive honours under a Reform UK government.
asserted
donors → repeat → government
He told Sky News’s Sunday Morning programme: “It enables us to do two things: be battle ready for the general election, whether it comes in a few weeks’ time or indeed two years’ time, and to prepare for government.”
asserted
it → tell → government
He added: “They’ve asked nothing in return for their donations.
asserted
They → add → donations
We’re not like the Tory Party that hands out knighthoods and peerages to their donors.
asserted
that → ’re → donors
“Nigel (Farage) has said this in the last few days: neither of these two individuals, nor anyone who donates to our party, is going to be on some honours list in the years ahead if we’re lucky enough to to be in government, and I can assure that.”
He added: “We’re very confident that these two donations are perfectly legal.”
asserted
donations → say → that
