Record donation for Reform UK: millions for power

The right-wing Reform UK party received the highest party donations in British history over the weekend. Within 48 hours at the weekend, Reform UK was awarded £36 million from Ben Delo and the same amount from Christopher Harborne. Both became billionaires through cryptocurrency companies.

Taken together, these donations enrich the party led by Nigel Farage by the equivalent of almost 84 million euros. Delo said he wanted to help Reform UK prepare to govern. The party should have the same opportunities as its other political competitors.

Harborne, in turn, justified his donation with the fact that none of the parties that have governed the country so far, i.e. the conservative Tories and currently the Labor Party under Prime Minister Andy Burnham, have kept the promise of a growing economy. But Reform UK obviously has the trust of the crypto billionaire: The party now absolutely needs more resources than it can generate through membership contributions.

Farage, how could it be otherwise, welcomed the donations. According to the party leader, they enabled Reform UK to set up professional election teams in the 400 most important constituencies for the next national election - which will take place in 2029 at the latest.

Reform UK, which likes to define itself as a party against the “established elites”, led all opinion polls for a long time before the last election in 2024. But then there was speculation that Harborne might not have been transparent about a £5 million donation to Farrage. There was a parliamentary inquiry. Farage subsequently resigned as an MP, putting the investigation on hold. However, he won the by-election in his constituency of Clacton-on-Sea in August - so the parliamentary review body has resumed its work.

After an investigative investigation was broadcast two weeks ago that filmed Nigel Farage and senior party officials at a meeting about the concealment of large donations from abroad, London's Metropolitan Police are now also investigating. It is said to involve two money transfers of £500,000 and £1 million each. Among other things, a company owned by deputy party leader Richard Tice is said to be involved.

Reform UK has already received more party donations than any other British party this year. Harborne donated £3 million in the spring alone and £12 million last year. Ben Delo has already donated £8 million to the party this year. There is currently a bill in parliament that would limit foreign party donations to 100,000 pounds, around 116,000 euros.

The British electoral system has limits on how much parties can spend per candidate in elections. But there are no limits for party donations. Proposals to change this, including most recently by Labor MP Stella Creasey, have so far been blocked - partly because Labor is dependent on high union subsidies. Andy Burnham, before becoming prime minister, floated a half-million pound cap in May.

Duncan Hames, the political director of the anti-corruption organization Transparency International UK, described the donations to Bluesky as a turning point. The situation, which is spiraling out of control, requires a rapid, state-set annual cap on party donations.