NIGEL FARAGE's Reform UK received 9 million pounds from businessman Christopher Harborne in the third quarter of the year, according to Electoral Commission data released on Thursday. It is one of the largest political donations recorded in Britain.
Harborne, an aviation entrepreneur who has invested in cryptotechnology, made a contribution just short of the 10 million pounds donated to the Conservative Party in 2022.
The funding put Reform UK at the top of the donations list for the quarter, with total receipts of 10.5 million pounds.
The Commission said the opposition Conservative Party received 7 million pounds and the governing Labour Party took in 2.6 million pounds.
Reform UK, which currently holds a large lead in opinion polls, had previously struggled with fundraising but launched a push last year to attract donors.
Farage told a press conference he had not offered Harborne anything in return and that Harborne was seeking "absolutely nothing in return" for the donation.
Farage said Harborne believes Britain has not maximised its post-Brexit freedoms and is falling behind in developing modern technology.
Farage also criticised the BBC over coverage of allegations that he made racist comments at school. He has said he "never directly racially abused anybody", denying the allegations.
Farage aims to professionalise party ahead of next election
Farage, a long-time Brexit campaigner and associate of US president Donald Trump, is seeking to professionalise the party before the next national election, due in 2029, building on gains made in local elections in May.
Reform UK holds five of Britain's 650 parliamentary seats but aims to make further gains in next year's local elections, including those for the devolved parliaments in Scotland and Wales.
Britain places no limits on political donations if the money comes from individuals on the electoral register or from UK-registered companies or organisations. Donation sizes are generally smaller than in the US.
Transparency International has called for a cap on donations, warning that parties could become dependent on a small group of wealthy donors.
A 2024 Delaware court filing showed Harborne owned a 12 per cent stake in crypto exchange Bitfinex. Bitfinex management is linked to Tether, the world's largest stablecoin issuer, which reported more than 10 billion dollars in profit in the first three quarters of 2025.
Reform's treasurer Nick Candy, appointed late last year, had until now not raised the tens of millions he said he would secure for the party. Candy personally donated 490,000 pounds in the period.
Claudia Harmsworth, wife of the owner of the Daily Mail newspaper, donated 50,000 pounds, the data showed.
According to the Electoral Commission’s online database, which covers donations since 2001, the largest political donation in British history was the 10 million pounds given to the Conservatives by businessman John Sainsbury upon his death in 2022.
