New rules won't stop me donating, says billionaire Reform backer
Summary
British billionaire Christopher Harborne has said new government rules limiting political donations from British citizens living abroad will not stop him from funding the Reform UK party. Harborne, who has given large sums to Reform UK and other parties, believes he can challenge the donation cap in court or find other ways to continue donating.Key Facts
- Christopher Harborne is a British billionaire living in Thailand who invests in cryptocurrency and aviation.
- He has donated a total of £12 million to Reform UK, including a record single donation of £9 million in 2025.
- Harborne also gave a £5 million personal gift to Nigel Farage before Farage became an MP.
- The UK government introduced a £100,000 cap on donations from British citizens living overseas to prevent foreign influence on elections.
- Housing Secretary Steve Reed said the cap aims to protect democracy by limiting money from untraceable sources abroad.
- Reform UK and Harborne argue the cap unfairly targets their funding and plan to challenge it.
- Labour and Conservative parties have criticized Farage for not declaring the £5 million gift, but his team says no declaration was legally required.
- Harborne previously donated to the Conservative Party and the Brexit Party before supporting Reform UK.
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