Christopher Harborne gives Reform UK £36 million, matching Ben Delo’s record pledge

第二次创纪录的贡献

Cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne has given £36 million to Reform UK, matching the contribution announced by fellow cryptocurrency entrepreneur Ben Delo. The two pledges are jointly the largest donations made to a British political party, according to the Guardian. Harborne’s contribution is a distinct new development after the earlier Delo announcement and gives Nigel Farage’s party an unusually large pool of private funding as it prepares for the next general election.

这个规模很重要,因为英国政党依赖于大型私人捐赠者,而在没有普遍天花板的情况下,英国政党对一个允许的捐赠者可以做出多少贡献。 改革表示,资金将使其能够在全国范围内与设立的政党竞争。 哈伯恩表示,他不寻求对立或政策许可,而法拉格提出了这两项贡献作为改革前景的信任表达。 这些声明不会解决这些捐款所产生的影响力和透明度的更广泛问题。

关于改革财务的秘密

捐款即将到来,改革的资金已经在审查中。 大都会警察正在对党的财务进行调查,法拉格面临议会标准调查,涉及哈伯恩的5百万英镑的早期礼物,该礼物将法拉格的2024年议会选举进行。 改革和法拉格否认不公正。 新捐款本身并不是犯罪的证据,卫报报告并不说当局已经挑战其合法性。

哈伯恩在泰国的居住可能会加剧与国外居民有关的资金的政治论点。 英国法律专注于捐赠者是否允许,是否真正来自捐赠者,而不是只是居住。 因此,任何法律评估都取决于登记、原始资金来源以及当捐款被接受时适用的规则。 可用的证据支持报告加重审查,但不是一个结论,这个承诺违反了现行法律。

政府提议提高投注率

The government’s 2026 political-finance proposals would require parties to conduct enhanced checks on contributions above £11,180, including verifying donor identity and understanding the source of funds. The proposed regime would also strengthen declarations, enforcement and forfeiture powers. In a separate response to the Rycroft review, the government backed an annual £100,000 ceiling for donations by overseas electors and described restrictions on cryptocurrency contributions. These are proposed safeguards and should not be applied retrospectively to declare Harborne’s pledge invalid.

The immediate question is how and when Reform records and deploys the £36 million, and what disclosures accompany it. Further findings from the police inquiry or parliamentary investigation could affect the political context, although neither process currently establishes wrongdoing over this new contribution. The broader contest will be legislative: ministers must translate their announced reforms into enforceable rules while parties argue over whether large donations are legitimate political participation or a route to disproportionate influence.