The UK government has announced new safeguards on political donations that could thwart Reform UK's ability to continue receiving millions from its crypto billionaire backer, Christopher Harborne. The measures, part of the Representation of the People Bill, include a £100,000 cap on donations from individuals who have recently moved to the UK, closing a loophole that allowed overseas donors to evade restrictions by registering to vote.
Background on Harborne's Donations
Christopher Harborne, also known as Chakrit Sakunkrit, made the largest single donation by a living person in British political history—£9 million to Reform UK in August 2025. He has reportedly been based in Thailand for over five years and holds Thai citizenship. Last week, he registered to vote in the UK, which appeared to be an attempt to bypass a previous rule limiting donations from Brits abroad to £100,000. Reform leader Nigel Farage welcomed the move, stating the party would 'gladly' accept more funds from Harborne.
New Safeguards Announced
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said the new rules would prevent individuals from 'being able to dodge the rules simply by registering to vote here.' Communities Secretary Steve Reed described the measures as 'world-leading action' that would 'protect the integrity of our elections and tackle the threats we face from abroad.' He added: 'These tough new rules will shut down dodgy funding, stop foreign money influencing our elections and keep our democracy strong.'
Other Measures from the Rycroft Review
The changes stem from an independent review into foreign financial interference led by civil servant Philip Rycroft. They also include a requirement for candidates to prove that any pre-campaign funding came from legitimate sources. Additionally, the government has announced a complete ban on donations made in cryptocurrency, a key recommendation from the review. Reform UK was the first major party to accept crypto donations in May 2024; no other major party has followed suit.
Ongoing Investigations into Farage
Nigel Farage is under investigation by the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner regarding a £5 million payment from Harborne in January 2024, before the general election. Farage claims it was a 'gift' unrelated to politics, but if it were a donation, it should have been declared. Separately, the Sunday Times reported that Farage failed to declare benefits from friend George Cottrell, a convicted fraudster. Reform's Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick denied the accusation, telling Sky News: 'There's no story here.'
