A former Reform UK policy chief questioned whether proposed overseas donor restrictions could affect two men who gave the party £72 million, The Guardian reported, as Parliament weighs the restrictions.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said Sept. 14 that Christopher Harborne and Ben Delo had each donated £36 million. He said the money would help the party prepare to form a government after the next election. Farage said both men had been prepared to give £1 million a month until August 2029 but provided the full amounts at once because of concerns about changes to donation rules.
The Guardian said footage recorded in July showed James Orr, then Reform UK’s head of policy, discussing the proposed rules. Orr described Harborne’s position as “probably more of a challenge” and said the answer for Delo depended on how a residency requirement was drafted.
The Electoral Commission says people on a UK electoral register, including overseas electors, may donate under current rules. The government proposes a £100,000 limit per overseas elector in a calendar year, counting donations and relevant regulated transactions across regulated recipients. It says the limit is intended to reduce foreign influence and prevent donors from getting ahead of the new rules.
The proposal would apply to donations from overseas electors received from March 25, 2026. Separate transitional provisions would cover certain people who moved to the UK from July 6 without having been registered as overseas electors. Whether the restrictions would apply to either gift depends on the donors’ electoral registration and residence histories.
A Reform UK spokesperson told The Guardian the party was “100% confident” both donations were legal and would not need to be returned. The newspaper also reported that Harborne’s lawyers described Orr’s comments as speculation and that Delo’s lawyers said he had obtained extensive legal advice.
The Representation of the People Bill is at the committee stage in the House of Lords, so the proposed limit is not yet law. An agreed amendment would give parties 60 days after the restrictions take effect to return earlier donations they cover. Parties’ returns for donations received from July through September are due to the Electoral Commission on Oct. 30.
