Christopher Harborne, the crypto billionaire who gave Nigel Farage £5m, has entered the Sunday Times Rich List for the first time at number six, with an estimated fortune of £18.2bn. The Thailand-based businessman is now the richest British-born person on the list, which ranks the 350 wealthiest UK residents and Britons abroad.
Farage initially said the gift was for personal security costs and did not need to be declared. However, after it emerged he bought a £1.4m property in cash shortly after receiving the money, he changed his account, calling it a “reward” for his Brexit campaigning. The parliamentary standards watchdog has launched an investigation into whether the donation should have been declared.
Other first-time entrants include Noel and Liam Gallagher, whose comeback tour earned nearly £400m, boosting their fortune to £375m. Emily Eavis, daughter of Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis, also joins the list. David and Victoria Beckham become Britain’s first billionaire sportsperson couple, with wealth estimated at £1.2bn, thanks to David’s stake in Inter Miami and property investments.
Labour donor Gary Lubner, co-owner of the Autoglass group, enters with an estimated £1.3bn fortune, having pledged to give away 95% of it. Sports promoters Barry and Eddie Hearn also join the billionaire club for the first time. The Hinduja family tops the list again with £38bn.
The combined wealth of the UK’s 350 richest individuals rose 1.4% to £784bn, while the number of billionaires increased by one to 157. Rich list compiler Robert Watts noted significant changes, with many foreign billionaires leaving the UK and a rise in British nationals residing in Dubai, Switzerland, and Monaco.
