Nigel Farage's Reform UK has secured the largest single political donation from a living person in British history, according to official figures released this week. The party received a staggering £9 million in August from the British-Thai billionaire Christopher Harborne, a long-time backer of right-wing and Brexit-aligned causes.
The Record-Breaking Donation and Its Impact
The colossal sum meant that between July and September this year, Reform UK topped the political fundraising charts. The Conservatives trailed in second place with £7 million in donations, while Labour came a distant third with £2.5 million. This financial injection marks a significant coup for Farage's party and underscores a continuing trend of donor defection from the Conservatives, who are battling to stem the flow of support towards Reform's growing popularity.
Christopher Harborne is no stranger to political financing. In previous years, he has made substantial contributions to both the Conservative Party and the Brexit Party. His political involvement extends beyond cheques; he accompanied Boris Johnson on a trip to Kyiv in September 2023 to meet President Volodymyr Zelensky, acting as an advisor to the former prime minister.
Who is the Billionaire Donor Christopher Harborne?
Mr Harborne, now in his early 60s, is a British businessman and a leading cryptocurrency investor. Educated at the elite Westminster School and Cambridge University, he later earned an MBA at INSEAD. He currently resides in Thailand, where he holds citizenship under the name Chakrit Sakunkrit.
His wealth stems from a diverse portfolio. After a stint at management consultancy McKinsey, he moved to Asia to run a research company. He is now the CEO of Sherriff Global Group, which trades in private jets, and the owner of AML Global, an aviation fuel firm. He has also held a stake in defence tech company Qinetiq and is a shareholder in the controversial cryptocurrency Tether.
Political Links and Controversy
Harborne's political giving history is extensive. He donated £6 million to the Brexit Party in 2019 and a further £3 million just before that year's general election. Since 2001, he has made smaller annual donations to the Tories, totalling around £15,000 per year. In a notable move in November 2022, he gave £1 million to Boris Johnson's private office, one of the largest-ever donations to an individual UK politician.
The size of his latest gift to Reform UK has inevitably raised questions. Given Farage's public promotion of Tether and advocacy for deregulating the cryptocurrency market in the UK, some have speculated about a link. However, Reform UK has firmly denied any connection. A party spokesman stated the donation was simply because Harborne "supports Reform UK, just like he supported the Brexit Party."
This record-breaking donation signals a dramatic shift in the financial landscape of British politics, providing Reform UK with unprecedented resources as the next general election approaches.
