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UK ministers seek law change to block Reform's £72m donations

Reform UK received unprecedented £72 million in donations from crypto billionaires Christopher Harborne and Ben Delo in September 2026. The UK government, led by Andy Burnham, is amending electoral legislation to impose retrospective restrictions and stricter residency requirements for political donors, potentially invalidating the donations; Reform UK and leader Nigel Farage argue the funding is legal and threaten to retaliate against union funding of Labour if elected.

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Reform UK’s £72m donations may be caught by new bill, Rayner suggests

rss:guardian-worldinternational16d ago wire ×2 kagi ↗

Minister points to legislation’s retrospective effect, but Reform says it is confident funding is within the law UK politics live – latest updates Reform UK’s record £72m in donations from two crypto billionaires could be caught in a new bill which will apply retrospectively, a cabinet minister has suggested. Labour MPs have voiced anger on internal WhatsApp groups that the government did not act

Will the £72m of donations to Reform UK be allowed?

rss:guardian-ukanglo15d ago kagi ↗

Key questions surrounding the huge sums donated by crypto billionaires Christopher Harborne and Ben Delo Reform UK announced over the weekend the two biggest single political donations in British history: £36m from the Thailand-based crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne and a further £36m from another crypto billionaire, Ben Delo. However, by Monday experts were questioning whether the donation

Amendment to bill in Lords could test legality of £72m Reform donations

rss:guardian-worldinternational15d ago wire ×2 kagi ↗

Plans to strengthen legislation already going through parliament might mean donors having to meet stricter UK residence requirements Andy Burnham’s government could thwart Reform’s unprecedented £72m donations with retrospective restrictions on political donors that will include tough new residency requirements, ministers have announced. In a move that is likely to set off furious complaints from

Welcome amendments to the electoral bill going through Parliament , but by no means far enough. # ReformUK # UKPolitics # ElectoralReform Ministers seek law change to make £72m donations to Reform ill

mastodon:mstdn-socialother14d ago kagi ↗

Welcome amendments to the electoral bill going through Parliament , but by no means far enough. # ReformUK # UKPolitics # ElectoralReform Ministers seek law change to make £72m donations to Reform illegal | Party funding | The Guardian https://www. theguardian.com/politics/2026/ sep/14/amendment-to-bill-in-lords-could-test-legality-of-72m-reform-donations

Farage says a Reform UK government would stop unions funding Labour if they block £72m donations – UK politics live

rss:guardian-ukanglo14d ago wire ×2 kagi ↗

Party leader claims proposed new retrospective laws are unfair and Reform would retaliate with a crackdown on union funding if elected Good morning. Ministers already think that the new laws on political donations, as set out in the version of the representation of the people bill which left the Commons earlier this month, will be enough to block some or all of the donations worth £72m to Reform U