Christopher Harborne, the cryptocurrency billionaire who gave Nigel Farage £5 million, has entered the Sunday Times Rich List for the first time at number six, with an estimated fortune of £18.2 billion. Harborne is also the richest British-born person on the list, which ranks the 350 wealthiest UK residents and Britons abroad.
The donation to Farage, made weeks before the Reform leader announced his candidacy for the 2024 general election, has sparked controversy. Farage initially claimed the money was for personal security and did not require declaration, but later described it as a “reward” for his Brexit campaigning. The parliamentary standards watchdog has launched an investigation into whether the gift should have been declared under rules for MPs.
Other first-time entrants include Noel and Liam Gallagher, who debut with an estimated fortune of £375 million following their successful comeback tour, and Emily Eavis, daughter of Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis. David and Victoria Beckham also join the billionaire club, with David becoming Britain’s first billionaire sportsperson, thanks to his stake in Inter Miami and a property empire, boosting their wealth to £1.2 billion.
Labour donor Gary Lubner, co-owner of the Autoglass group, enters with an estimated £1.3 billion fortune, having pledged to give away 95% of it. Sports promoters Barry and Eddie Hearn also feature for the first time. The Hinduja family tops the list again with £38 billion.
The combined wealth of the UK’s 350 wealthiest individuals and families rose by 1.4% to £784 billion, while the number of billionaires increased by one to 157. Compiler Robert Watts noted a significant shift, with many foreign billionaires leaving the UK and a rise in British nationals residing abroad, particularly in Dubai, Switzerland, and Monaco.
