The UK government has announced new safeguards on political donations that could prevent Reform UK from receiving further millions from its crypto billionaire backer, Christopher Harborne. The measures, stemming from an independent review into foreign interference, include a cap of £100,000 on donations from individuals who have moved to the UK from overseas for at least one year.
Background on Harborne's Donations
Christopher Harborne, who also uses the name Chakrit Sakunkrit and holds Thai citizenship, made history in August 2025 with a £9 million donation to Reform UK—the largest single donation by a living person in British political history. He has reportedly been based in Thailand for over five years. Last week, it emerged that Harborne had registered to vote in the UK, a move widely seen as an attempt to bypass a new limit restricting donations from Brits abroad to £100,000.
Government’s New Safeguards
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government stated that the new rules would prevent individuals from evading donation caps simply by registering to vote in the UK. Communities Secretary Steve Reed described the measures as “world-leading action” to “protect the integrity of our elections and tackle the threats we face from abroad.” He added: “These tough new rules will shut down dodgy funding, stop foreign money influencing our elections and keep our democracy strong.”
Reform UK’s Response
Reform leader Nigel Farage had previously said the party would “gladly” accept more money from Harborne, expressing pleasure that he had re-registered in the UK. However, the new safeguards effectively block that avenue for at least a year after an individual moves to the UK. The changes will be introduced as amendments to the Representation of the People Bill, which is due to return to the House of Commons next week.
Additional Measures and Investigations
The government has also implemented a complete ban on cryptocurrency donations, another key recommendation from the Rycroft Review. Reform UK was the first major party to accept crypto donations, starting in May 2024. Meanwhile, Farage faces an investigation by the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner over a £5 million payment from Harborne in January 2024, which Farage claims was a personal gift unrelated to politics. Additionally, the Sunday Times reported that Farage failed to declare benefits from his friend George Cottrell, a convicted fraudster, though the party’s Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick denied any wrongdoing, stating “There’s no story here.”
