The private jet used by Nigel Farage in his failed attempt to reach the Chagos Islands has been linked to Christopher Harborne, the cryptocurrency billionaire who has donated £12 million to Reform UK, a source close to the party confirmed.
The Thailand-based investor, one of the largest political donors in British history, reportedly has connections to two Dassault Falcon planes that flew Farage to the Maldives and Chagossian campaigners to Sri Lanka. Harborne did not respond to requests for comment on whether he owns the aircraft, which are registered to a British Virgin Islands company and operated from Guernsey.
Farage said the trip aimed to highlight the plight of Chagossians removed from the islands in the 1960s, and to oppose the government’s decision to hand sovereignty to Mauritius. Although he failed to reach the military base, the stunt drew attention to Reform’s stance on the controversy.
The disclosure underscores Harborne’s importance to Reform UK, having donated a further £3 million in the final quarter of 2025 after a record £9 million gift last year. Campaign groups including Spotlight on Corruption have renewed calls for a cap on political donations, citing a lack of transparency.
Farage, who previously criticised Sir Keir Starmer for accepting clothing donations, said the trip’s funding would be declared in the usual way. Private jets of the size used typically cost upwards of £10,000 per hour, but the precise cost of the expedition remains unclear.
