Reform UK Secures £7 Million from Overseas Billionaires Before Donation Cap
Reform UK declared private donations totalling £9.3 million in the first quarter of 2029, a figure substantially boosted by two significant contributions from overseas British citizens. Hong Kong-based businessman Ben Delo provided £4 million, while Christopher Harborne, residing in Thailand, donated £3 million.
These contributions were made in the weeks preceding the government's announcement of a £100,000 annual limit on donations from British citizens living abroad, effective from 25 March.
The Electoral Commission's latest filings detail that Reform accepted £2 million from Delo on 14 January and another £2 million on 2 March. Harborne's £3 million donation was registered on 23 January. None of these funds were transferred in cryptocurrency.
These donations constituted a considerable portion of Reform's declared private funding during the period, representing approximately one-third of the £20.7 million total declared by all political parties. Biotech entrepreneur David Grainger also contributed an additional £1.1 million to Reform.
Overseas Donors and Regulatory Scrutiny
Sheffield-born Delo, co-founder of the BitMEX cryptocurrency trading platform, is a new donor to Reform. Harborne, a British cryptocurrency investor, previously gave £12 million to Reform in 2025, including a £9 million donation in August—the largest single sum ever received by a British political party from a living individual.
Nigel Farage, Reform UK's leader, is currently under investigation by the parliamentary standards commissioner regarding a £5 million gift from Harborne ahead of the 2024 election. Farage maintains this was a 'purely private' gift unrelated to his political activities, thus not requiring declaration.
Reform's robust fundraising efforts during this period surpassed those of both the Labour and Conservative parties, each of which declared approximately £4 million in private donations. Labour's largest donations included £550,000 each from Lord David Sainsbury and Gary Lubner, alongside £1.4 million from seven trade unions. The Liberal Democrats reported £2.2 million, while the Green Party declared just £209,000.
The government's imposition of the £100,000 cap, set to be applied retrospectively from 25 March, has generated significant friction. Ministers state the measure aims to mitigate the risk of illicit donations from foreign nationals. However, Reform and its donors argue the cap is a targeted attempt by Labour to impede their party's financial backing ahead of the next general election.
Delo has reportedly accelerated plans to return to the UK to circumvent the cap and continue funding Reform. Harborne, who claims credit for the cap's introduction, has indicated a willingness to challenge the limit legally and has not ruled out returning to the UK to maintain his donor status.
