Reform UK has stated that its receipt of £72 million from two cryptocurrency billionaires, Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne, is "entirely in line with the law." Robert Jenrick, the party's economic spokesman, told the BBC that Reform UK does not anticipate having to return the funds. Both Delo and Harborne are British citizens who have resided abroad for periods.
These donations now equal the record for the largest sums ever given to a UK political party. Jenrick emphasized that the donors "simply support our agenda" and are "not buying anything."
The UK government is currently seeking to alter regulations concerning political donations from British expatriates. Proposed changes include a £100,000 cap on such donations, with a backdated effective date of March 25. An additional measure aims to limit donations from individuals returning to the UK to £100,000 in the year following their return.
Jenrick commented on the proposed legal shifts, stating, "One of these two donors, Ben Delo, has actually returned to the UK, in part so that he can comply with the changes to the law." He added, "It might be that [Housing Secretary] Angela Rayner or the government keep trying to change the law to make it even harder for people to donate to Reform, nothing would surprise me."
Housing Secretary Angela Rayner, appearing on the same program, declined to comment on whether the proposed changes would specifically apply to Delo and Harborne, citing a lack of knowledge regarding "the individual circumstances of those donors." Rayner indicated that the government's proposed legislative changes stem directly from a review by former civil servant Philip Rycroft, published on March 25. She confirmed that the legislation's retrospective application to that date is due to the known intentions and recommendations of the review.
The proposed measures have been incorporated into the Representation of the People Bill, which has received approval from the House of Commons and will now undergo scrutiny in the House of Lords. Rayner also noted that the government has contacted the Electoral Commission, an independent body, to explore further measures to safeguard democracy.