Key facts
- Two crypto billionaires, Christopher Harborne and Ben Delo, donated £72 million to Reform UK.
- TUC leader Paul Nowak called for an end to 'super-rich' corruption of politics.
- Union leaders are split on capping domestic political donations.
- Unite's general secretary Sharon Graham supports donation limits.
- Former PM Boris Johnson criticized the proposed retrospective cap on donations.
- Reform UK's deputy leader could not confirm when its major donors returned to the UK.
Britain's trade union movement is divided over proposals to cap domestic political donations, a debate reignited by two crypto billionaires' £72 million contribution to the Reform UK party. TUC general secretary Paul Nowak has urged the government to act against "super-rich" individuals "corrupting our politics," framing the large donations as a "crisis for our democracy."
Nowak argued that donations from individuals who do not live and pay taxes in Britain should not be permitted, and called for stricter rules on foreign funding for political advertisements. He drew a distinction between small contributions from union members and the substantial sums given by billionaires, suggesting that Reform UK and its politician Nigel Farage were "for sale."
However, union leaders are split on the issue. While Sharon Graham, general secretary of Unite, has publicly supported donation limits, many others, including the GMB, fear that such caps could be used by a future right-wing government to restrict union donations. A statement on political donations is expected from Labour-affiliated unions to be presented to the TUC general council.
Reform UK's deputy leader, Richard Tice, stated that the party was confident in its compliance with all donation laws but could not specify when the donors, Christopher Harborne and Ben Delo, had returned to the UK. Harborne is registered to vote in the UK but lives in Thailand, while Delo has returned from Hong Kong. Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson criticized the proposed retrospective nature of donation caps as "pathetic."