Reform UK has denied that donor Christopher Harborne’s global interests in arms and military could present a conflict of interest over its defence spending policy, as an investigation reveals the scale of his military empire.
The Guardian’s investigation into the origins of Harborne’s riches and whether his donations inform Nigel Farage’s agenda has established the Thailand-based tycoon’s global web of commercial interests in the arms industry and military contracts. Among his business collaborators are a striking number of former army officers, air force pilots, military officials and even, it seems, spies.
Jet fuel and Pentagon contracts
A businessman who works with Harborne’s jet fuel venture describes it as a top supplier to US military operations worldwide, “strengthened by former US Department of Defense specialists and retired US military pilots, bringing decades of operational and strategic expertise to every mission”. AML Global brokers jet fuel and has, Harborne’s lawyers say, “grown into a worldwide leader in its industry with a comprehensive fuel supply network that maintains over 1,200 locations worldwide”.
AML Global’s US military contracts surged late in Donald Trump’s first term, reaching tens of millions annually. They total more than $140m in the years since, according to published US government data. Publicity material by its Northern Irish partner, Jet Assist, says no other company supplies the US military with jet fuel in more places beyond its borders – 62 by the end of 2025.
Stake in QinetiQ and other investments
Harborne is also the biggest shareholder in QinetiQ, once the research arm of the UK military, now a private company developing autonomous weapons. His 15% stake is worth about £400m. In March, he bought a stake in a company set up by a former Royal Marines reservist to develop “Iron Man” suits for combatants, and he has acquired shares in a rival to Starlink, the satellite service.
Harborne’s military connections appear to extend to Thailand, which granted him citizenship in 2011. Paul Chambers, a leading expert on the Thai military, says Harborne maintains a business relationship with the armed forces there through AML Global and Sherriff Global Group.
Donations and defence policy
Harborne has given Reform two-thirds of its funding, plus a £5m undeclared gift to Farage that the MPs’ watchdog is investigating. The Reform manifesto committed the party to increasing defence spending and introducing “incentives and tax breaks to boost the UK defence industry”.
Sam Power, a political funding expert at the University of Bristol, said: “It doesn’t necessarily follow that Reform will have policies that will benefit Harborne’s interests in the military-industrial complex. But it warrants a spotlight. It will be interesting if Reform’s policies start aligning with Christopher Harborne in this area as they have in cryptocurrency.”
A Reform spokesperson said Harborne had not discussed defence spending, defence policy or foreign policy with Farage or party officials and denied that its megadonor’s military business interests gave Reform a conflict of interest on defence spending policy. Harborne’s lawyers added that he “has not sought to influence any politician to support any of his commercial business interests”.
