Reform UK faces donation law debate as Christopher Harborne matches Ben Delo's £36m gift, sparking calls for a £100,000 cap on expat donations

Reform UK is facing scrutiny after receiving a record-breaking £72m in donations from Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne, each contributing £36m. This unprecedented influx has sparked calls for a £100,000 cap on donations from British expats, aimed at curbing foreign influence in UK politics.¹³⁴⁶

The House of Lords is set to debate the proposed changes, which would backdate the cap to March 25. The government is under pressure to act, with Labour MPs expressing frustration over the lack of restrictions on domestic donations in recent legislation.

Delo, a former donor to Reform, has returned to the UK from Hong Kong, while Harborne, a UK and Thailand citizen, is currently under investigation for a previous donation. Both donations are larger than the total contributions from the seven largest parties in the last general election, raising alarms about the influence of wealthy individuals on political processes.

“My competitive spirit inspired me to match [Delo],” Harborne stated, highlighting the motivations behind these significant contributions. The donations are expected to enhance Reform's visibility and campaign efforts ahead of upcoming elections, as they plan to expand their infrastructure significantly.

As the debate unfolds, the implications of these donations on the political landscape remain a focal point of concern, with calls for stricter regulations gaining momentum.

The sheer scale of Reform's record-breaking donation windfall has prompted an urgent debate across the parties.²

The rules were proposed in a review by former civil servant Philip Rycroft aimed at countering foreign influence in UK politics.⁷

Gifts to political parties from Britons living abroad or those who have returned to the country within the past 12 months will be capped at £100,000 a year, with the rules backdated to March.