Reform UK raises millions more than other parties, fueled by crypto donations

Reform UK has emerged as a dominant force in private political fundraising, securing £9 million in the first three months of the year, largely from cryptocurrency billionaires. This figure dwarfs the donations received by other major parties.

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The figures exposed “the scale of big money flowing into British politics and raise serious questions about who is funding our political parties and what access that money may be buying”.

Key to Reform UK's fundraising success were substantial contributions from prominent figures in the tech and finance world. Christopher Harborne, a British-Thai dual citizen involved in cryptocurrency and aviation investment, donated £3 million. Ben Delo, a cryptocurrency entrepreneur relocating from Hong Kong, contributed £4 million. Together, these two donations represent a third of all private political funding in the first quarter.

In comparison, both the Labour and Conservative parties raised approximately £4 million each from private donations during the same period. The Guardian reports that Harborne's total donations to Reform UK now stand at £15 million over the past year, while Delo is a new donor to the party. Other significant contributions include £1 million from investor David Grainger and £111,000 from a company linked to Paul Mackings, Reform's leader on South Tyneside council.

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Time and again, we see a small number of wealthy individuals and opaque corporate structures playing an outsized role in financing our democracy. That risks undermining public trust and fuels the perception that the rich can simply buy political influence, bypassing and undermining our democracy.

These figures have prompted scrutiny from campaign groups. Susan Hawley, executive director of Spotlight on Corruption, highlighted the "scale of big money flowing into British politics," raising concerns about transparency and potential influence. She warned that "a small number of wealthy individuals and opaque corporate structures playing an outsized role in financing our democracy" risks undermining public trust and creating the perception that political influence can be bought.

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Political parties accepted £24.7m in donations in the first quarter of 2026. The UK political finance system has high levels of transparency, and we know that voters care about where parties get their money from. This publication is a key part of delivering this information to voters.

In response to the growing debate around political donations, particularly those involving cryptocurrency, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has faced pressure to implement donation caps. While reiterating the government's plans to restrict overseas donations, the focus remains on limiting cryptocurrency contributions and imposing a moratorium on such transactions. The Electoral Commission confirmed that political parties accepted £24.7 million in donations in the first quarter of 2026, acknowledging that while the UK system has high transparency, certain areas require strengthening.

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However, we know there are parts of the system that need strengthening, and we have highlighted the need for changes to the law for some time. The UK government’s proposed reforms to the political finance regime in the representation of the people bill could strengthen donation controls and help ensure voters have confidence.