Key facts
- Reform UK received £72 million in donations from crypto billionaires Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne.
- Angela Rayner suggested new laws could make these donations illegal.
- Rayner stated the new law Labour is pushing through parliament will be backdated to cover donations from March.
- Robert Jenrick asserted that the donations are in line with current and future laws.
- The government has proposed limiting donations from British expats to £100,000.
- Nigel Farage's party is also under investigation by the parliamentary standards commissioner for a separate £5 million donation.
Reform UK has received £72 million in donations from two cryptocurrency billionaires, Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne, in two separate £36 million installments. The party maintains that these donations are legal and in line with current legislation. However, Labour's Housing Secretary, Angela Rayner, has suggested that new laws being pushed through parliament could impact these contributions. Rayner indicated that the proposed legislation will be backdated to March, potentially affecting donations from individuals who do not pay taxes in the UK or have recently returned. She stated that the aim is to prevent billionaires from buying their way into British democracy. Reform UK's Treasury spokesman, Robert Jenrick, countered that the donations are entirely legal and represent a "huge vote of confidence" in the party. He also noted that both Delo and Harborne are British citizens, with Delo having returned to the UK. The government is seeking to implement a £100,000 cap on donations from British expats. Separately, Nigel Farage's party is under investigation by the parliamentary standards commissioner regarding a £5 million donation from Harborne, and the Metropolitan Police are investigating allegations of attempts to raise illegal foreign donations.