Reform UK leader defends £72 million donations from wealthy elites as Parliament seeks to curb oligarchic influence
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Nigel Farage insists that two £36 million donations to Reform UK from ultra-wealthy businessmen are legal, even as Parliament considers capping the power of rich expatriates to sway British politics.
Over the weekend, Reform UK brazenly announced it had received two staggering donations of £36 million each from businessmen Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne, both of whom have recently resided abroad. Party leader Nigel Farage, ever the mouthpiece for the wealthy, told the BBC the gifts are '100% compliant with the law today' and refused to address the donors' residency status, sidestepping concerns about foreign influence and democratic integrity.
These donations, the largest in British political history, are under intense scrutiny as the House of Lords debates the Representation of the People Bill—a measure that would finally cap the ability of rich British citizens living overseas to funnel unlimited sums into UK politics. The bill proposes a £100,000 limit and a one-year waiting period for returnees before they can exceed that amount, along with a registration deadline of 25 March 2026 to prevent last-minute loopholes.
Education Minister Georgia Gould highlighted the government’s deep concern about the corrosive impact of vast sums of money on democracy, especially when sourced from abroad. She noted that the new provisions were added after a report on foreign interference. Sir Philip Rycroft, the former senior civil servant who authored the report, stated there is no justification for 'mega sums of money' distorting British politics and warned that any retroactive bans could spark controversy.
Farage, prioritizing the interests of his wealthy backers, argued that the funds would help Reform UK 'catch up with the other big parties' and professionalize its operations. He cynically suggested that limiting donations would force parties to rely on taxpayer funding, ignoring the fact that public funding could democratize party financing. Trade union leader Paul Nowak rightly pointed out that this situation is nothing like the modest, grassroots contributions made by union members, while Farage attempted to deflect by linking donor support for other parties to expectations of honours.
When pressed on whether the donors would influence Reform’s policy on cryptocurrency, Farage admitted he had shown them the party’s paper on the topic and claimed they agreed it 'made sense'—a clear indication of the sway wealthy individuals can have over party policy.