New government rules designed to curb foreign political donations and funding channelled through questionable companies could significantly impact major funders of Reform UK, it has been announced. Ministers have unveiled measures that include a £100,000 donation limit for individuals coming to the UK from overseas, applicable for a year after their arrival.
This new cap could affect cryptocurrency tycoons Christopher Harborne and Ben Delo, who have reportedly returned or plan to return to the UK. Both have previously donated millions to Nigel Farage’s party. The government had already introduced a £100,000 annual cap on overseas donations, backdated to March 25, which will now extend to cover the first year of a donor’s residency in the UK.
Mr Harborne, a Thailand-based crypto-billionaire, made a £3 million donation, the largest single contribution Reform UK received between January and March 2026. He has reportedly since registered to vote in the UK. Electoral Commission figures also show that Ben Delo, another cryptocurrency magnate based in Hong Kong, donated £4 million to Reform in two £2 million sums in January and March.
Mr Delo has publicly stated his intention to move back to Britain to contribute more to Reform, but the new rules mean he would still be subject to the £100,000 cap for a year upon his return.
Further changes to the Representation of the People Bill include a tougher assessment for company donations. These will now be evaluated based on post-tax profits over the previous five years, rather than solely on revenue. This aims to ensure that only legitimate UK-linked businesses can make political contributions, preventing firms with high revenue but unclear operations from donating.
Additionally, individuals running for election will be required to prove the legitimacy of any funding received before officially becoming a candidate. Donations exceeding £2,230 received prior to their formal candidacy must be declared.
Communities Secretary Steve Reed commented: “British democracy is not for sale. These tough new rules will shut down dodgy funding, stop foreign money influencing our elections and keep our democracy strong. By holding overseas donors to tougher standards and requiring candidates to prove where their funding comes from, we are taking world-leading action to protect the integrity of our elections and tackle the threats we face from abroad.”
These measures follow a review of political funding led by former top civil servant Philip Rycroft. They are set to be incorporated into the Representation of the People Bill, which will undergo its final Commons stages on July 14 before proceeding to the House of Lords.
