Reform UK has acquired a document £9m donation from cryptocurrency investor and aviation entrepreneur Christopher Harborne, new figures from the Electoral Fee present.
It’s the largest ever single donation by a dwelling particular person to a British political get together.
Mr Harborne, who’s British however lives in Thailand, has beforehand given massive sums to the Conservatives below Boris Johnson’s management, in addition to Reform’s predecessor the Brexit Occasion in 2019 and 2020.
Whereas the following normal election is just not due till 2029, the donation comes forward of native elections subsequent Might.
Reform UK has been constantly main in nationwide opinion polls because the spring.
Mr Harborne’s donation breaks the earlier document for a dwelling particular person, which was £8m from grocery store tycoon Lord David Sainsbury to the Liberal Democrats in 2019.
His cousin Lord John Sainsbury left £10m to the Conservatives in his will in 2022.
Two of Mr Harborne’s companies – AML World and Sherriff Group – are linked to personal plane and aviation.
Reform chief Nigel Farage has been a supporter of cryptocurrency, saying in Might that his get together can be the primary within the UK to simply accept donations in Bitcoin.
In line with the Electoral Fee’s newest figures, Reform UK acquired donations totalling greater than £10.2m between July and September.
This was greater than the Conservatives, who acquired £4.6m in donations, adopted by Labour on £2.1m and the Liberal Democrats on £1m.
Except for Mr Harborne’s donation, the following largest through the three-month interval was £1m given by video games programmer and tech entrepreneur Jeremy Elliott San to the Conservatives.
Labour’s largest donor was the Unite union with £362,625, whereas the Liberal Democrats acquired its largest sum – £50,000 – from Neale Powell-Cook dinner, who owns a meals provide firm.
It’s the first quarter since final 12 months’s normal election that Reform has acquired extra in donations than the Conservatives.
A Reform spokesman mentioned the figures “present the unimaginable progress” the get together is making.
“That is additional proof that we now have all of the momentum in British politics,” he added.
Nonetheless, total the Tories have nonetheless acquired extra donations since July 2024 – round £14.4m in contrast with £13.5m for Reform.
Conservative chief Kemi Badenoch mentioned the Tories had been “out-raising” different events all through this 12 months, whereas Mr Harborne’s donation to Reform was a “one-off”.
“For those who take a look at the breadth and depth of our donors, and the pattern, I am actually, actually happy with the announcement right now that exhibits that we have had our greatest performing quarter since I turned chief,” she informed broadcasters.
Liberal Democrat spokesperson Lisa Good mentioned the newest figures confirmed “some eye-watering donations”.
“Our elections are usually not being fought on an excellent footing if they are often purchased by a small handful of people,” she added.
Political events are required to report all donations above £11,180 to the Electoral Fee.
Opposition events additionally obtain public funds to help their parliamentary duties, with allocations primarily based on their efficiency on the earlier election.
Between July and September, Reform acquired £227,835 in public funds – far lower than the £2.3m acquired by the Conservatives and the £1m for the Liberal Democrats.
