Crypto Billionaires Make History with £72M Reform UK Donations Amid Government Scrutiny
Two crypto-linked billionaires have made the largest political donations in British history. Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne each donated £36 million to Reform UK on consecutive days in September 2026, totaling £72 million. This dwarfs all private donations made to UK political parties in the previous year.
The Labour Party's deputy leader, Angela Rayner, responded by pointing out that the government has proposed retroactive legislation to stop wealthy individuals from buying influence. The Representation of the People Bill would apply even to donations made before its passage, potentially affecting Delo and Harborne's contributions.
Reform UK claims their donations complied with laws as they existed at the time, but the government views digital asset-funded contributions with suspicion due to concerns about foreign interference in British democracy. The UK has imposed a moratorium on cryptocurrency donations since March 2026 and capped contributions from abroad at £100,000.