British investor Christopher Harborne pours £36 million into Reform UK, dwarfing rivals
Christopher Harborne, a Thailand-based businessman, has donated £36 million to Reform UK, bringing the party’s total funding to about £86 million, far outpacing Labour and the Conservatives.
Christopher Harborne, a British investor residing in Thailand, has become Reform UK’s biggest benefactor with a £36 million donation, raising the party’s cumulative cash to roughly £86 million, a figure that eclipses the combined fundraising of Labour and the Conservatives. Educated at Westminster School, Downing College, Cambridge, and reportedly INSEAD, Harborne describes himself as an engineer, pilot and investor, and has built wealth through aviation-related firms such as AML Global and Sherriff Group, as well as a stake in defence contractor Qinetiq.
His political giving includes more than £6 million to the former Brexit Party and a record £9 million to Reform UK in August 2025. Harborne has stated he seeks no peerage or policy changes, only a party prepared for government, and claims his personal fortune is sufficient for his lifetime.
Why it matters
The donation gives Reform UK a financial edge that could reshape UK party competition and policy influence.
How this story developed
- Sep 1 Reform UK’s quarterly funding dominated by crypto donor pardoned by Trump
- Sep 3 During the opening of Reform UK's three-day conference in Birmingham, deputy leader Richard Tice warned against Chinese buses and goods, urging support for British manufacturing. Yet the nearby merchandise stall offered caps, hoodies and water bottles that were produced in China alongside items from Bangladesh, Pakistan and India. Prices ranged from £5 for pins to £45 for hoodies, with a UK-made Nigel Farage tea towel costing £20. The speech also highlighted the party’s broader business agenda and its leader Nigel Farage’s recent controversies.
- Sep 3 Labour moved to refer Reform UK to police over the alleged foreign‑donation breach.
- Sep 4 Metropolitan Police began assessing the allegations.
- Sep 4 Farage called the allegations "loose pub talk" as Reform UK opened an internal inquiry and other parties referred the case to police.
- Sep 4 Addressing the conference hall, the Reform leader said “that poor young girl, she looked like she was going to do herself an injury”, before adding “boring, boring, boring”.
- Sep 5 James Orr and Dan Jukes were permanently suspended from their positions after the undercover footage was broadcast.
- Sep 6 Dan Jukes and James Orr resigned pending an internal investigation.
- Sep 6 West Midlands Police have issued a call for the protester to come forward to assist their inquiry.
- Sep 11 Crypto founder Ben Delo has donated £36 million to Reform UK, the largest party contribution on record, as police investigate alleged illegal foreign funding.
- Sep 11 Police have indicated Farage will likely be interviewed.
- Sep 12 The donation was announced as a record contribution while a police probe into foreign funding continues.
- Sep 12 Christopher Harborne announced a further large gift to Reform UK.
In this story
Related stories
18 in this thread