Second crypto billionaire donates record $49m to far-right Reform UK

Christopher Harborne, a Thailand-based cryptocurrency investor, has donated roughly $48.7m (£36m) to Reform UK, saying he was motivated to match a near-identical contribution announced a day earlier by Ben Delo. The pair’s gifts raise the amount pledged to the party since Friday to about $97m, an unprecedented haul for the organisation. The donations arrive as Reform faces intense scrutiny over its finances. London’s Metropolitan Police have confirmed a criminal investigation is under way into whether the party accepted unlawful foreign funding, and the large gifts have prompted public questions about the source and permissibility of such money. Reform’s leader Nigel Farage welcomed the contributions on social media, framing them as support for the party’s goal of fixing Britain, while Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch criticised the influx of cash and questioned the party’s integrity. Broadcasters and reporters have also noted donors’ stated rationale: both benefactors said they wanted to level the playing field for a party that has historically received fewer regular donations than established parties. Reform UK, which succeeded Farage’s Brexit Party after changing its name in 2021, has grown rapidly as voter dissatisfaction with the two main parties has increased. Recent polling referenced in coverage suggests Reform lost some support after Andy Burnham replaced Keir Starmer as prime minister and Labour leader, even as the party remains a significant force in current British politics.