Angela Rayner, Communities Secretary, criticized large donations from crypto billionaires Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne to Reform UK but defended union contributions to Labour. Delo and Harborne each donated £36 million, the largest single political donations in British history. Since 2010, trade unions have contributed about £150 million to Labour. The government plans to change laws retrospectively to limit these mega-donations, potentially forcing Reform to return the money. Reform accuses Labour of hypocrisy and threatens legal action if changes are made retroactively.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-16,
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.
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Angela Rayner has been accused of 'hyperventilating hypocrisy' after she criticised mega donations to Reform UK but defended the millions that Labour is given by its trade union paymasters.
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Labour → see → paymasters
In an extraordinary intervention, on Monday the Communities Secretary vowed to 'defend our democracy' against 'fascist oligarchs' donating to Nigel Farage's party.
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oligarchs → vow → party
Crypto billionaires Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne stunned the political establishment after announcing at the weekend that they would each give Reform £36million – the biggest ever single donations to a British political party.
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they → stun → party
Downing Street has now confirmed that the Government is set to change the law on donations retrospectively, potentially forcing Reform to hand back the money.
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Government → confirm → money
Ministers have also indicated they could cap all future donations.
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they → indicate → donations
In a speech at the Trades Union Congress conference in Brighton, Ms Rayner said the two mega donations to Reform 'could not be more different' from the millions handed to Labour each year by the big unions.
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donations → say → unions
They have given the party about £150million since 2010.
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They → give → 2010
Reform accused Labour of hypocrisy and suggested that it could move to ban union donations in the future if Labour tries to block its own donors.
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Labour → accuse → donors
Its Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick accused Ms Rayner of a 'deranged rant' and said Reform was prepared to go 'all the way to the Supreme Court' or even the European Court of Human Rights to fight any move to bring in retrospective legislation.
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Reform → accuse → legislation
Reform's deputy leader Richard Tice said: 'You've now got a hyperventilating hypocrisy from the socialists ruining this country, who are trying to change the rules retrospectively, which is not the fair way, it's not the British way.
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it → say → rules
Angela Rayner has vowed to 'defend our democracy' against 'fascist oligarchs' donating to Nigel Farage's party - despite defending the millions Labour is given from trade unions
'
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Labour → vow → unions
And I think most people will say, "Does that just mean that Labour are terrified of the progress of Reform and they're trying to create an unlevel playing field?"
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they → think → field
Mr Delo and Mr Harborne are British citizens but have spent much of their careers overseas.
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Delo → spend → careers
Under legislation going through Parliament, donations made by people living abroad will be capped at £100,000 a year.
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donations → go → 100,000
In a highly unusual move, No10 confirmed that the law will be backdated to March 25, when the idea of a cap was first floated by a Government review.
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idea → confirm → review
Returning donors will have to wait one calendar year before they can exceed the new cap.
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they → return → cap
Reform's leader, Nigel Farage, said any attempt to change the law retrospectively would 'make us look like an old communist country'.
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us → say → country
Opening a debate in the House of Lords on political donations, Government minister Baroness Taylor said: 'We must put politics back under public control.
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We → open → control
We have shared concern of the rise of big money in our politics and its ability to dominate public power.'
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We → share → power
Union bosses have opposed a cap for years, fearing that their influence over Labour could be diluted.
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influence → oppose → Labour
But the TUC conference is expected to back calls for a cap on Tuesday.
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conference → expect → Tuesday
However, union chiefs will argue that their donations should be exempt as they were funded by small levies paid by workers.
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they → argue → workers
Ms Rayner told the conference that union cash 'couldn't be more different from a couple of offshore billionaires trying to buy our democracy'.
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cash → tell → democracy
She added: 'Let me be clear: we will defend our democracy and society from any foreign dictator or fascist oligarch who seeks to divide our country and buy our politics.'
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who → add → politics
Labour sources said Ms Rayner's comments were not directed at any particular individual.
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comments → say → individual
Mr Farage said neither Mr Harborne nor Mr Delo would be offered seats in the House of Lords or change the party's policies.
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Harborne → say → policies
He contrasted this with Labour, where the Government had moved swiftly to meet union demands on workers' rights.
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Government → contrast → rights
'If anyone is giving money to do political bidding, it is the trade unions,' he said.
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he → give → bidding
'I would just warn the trade unions and the Labour Party that if you try to ban our donors, we in government would certainly ban yours.
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we → warn → yours
But I don't want to go down that route.'
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I → want → route
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