Reform UK has received a £9 million donation from British businessman Christopher Harborne, the largest single donation to a political party from a living person in UK history, according to Electoral Commission figures released today. The donation, made on 1 August, contributed to Reform UK receiving £10.5 million in the third quarter of 2025, far surpassing the Conservatives' £7 million, Labour's £2.5 million, and the Liberal Democrats' £2 million.
Harborne, an aviation entrepreneur and crypto investor who lives in Thailand, previously donated to the Conservative Party and gave £1 million to Boris Johnson's office after Johnson left office. He also gave large sums to the Brexit Party in 2019 and 2020, which later became Reform UK. The £9 million donation does not exceed the £10 million left to the Conservatives by John Sainsbury in his will in 2022.
The news comes as Reform UK leader Nigel Farage faces allegations of racism and antisemitism from former schoolmates, who claim he made offensive remarks during his teenage years. Richard Tice, a Reform UK figure, dismissed the allegations as lies during an interview on the Today programme, prompting Labour chair Anna Turley to describe his comments as 'deplorable'. Turley praised the courage of those coming forward and noted that Farage himself has not offered a denial.
