Reform UK defends £72m crypto donations as legal

Robert Jenrick has insisted that Reform UK’s receipt of £72 million in donations from two cryptocurrency billionaires is fully compliant with existing legislation. The party’s economic spokesman told the BBC that it does not anticipate returning any funds received from Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne, both British nationals who have previously resided abroad.

The government is currently pursuing changes to electoral law that would introduce a £100,000 cap on donations from British expatriates, with the measures backdated to 25 March. Jenrick argued that the contributions fall within legal boundaries both as they stand and under proposed future regulations.

Speaking on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Jenrick noted that Delo has since returned to the UK, partly to ensure compliance with the anticipated legal shifts. He acknowledged that the government, including Housing Secretary Angela Rayner, might attempt to further restrict donation capabilities for Reform but maintained that the current transfers are lawful.

Jenrick rejected suggestions that the donors were seeking political influence, stating that Delo and Harborne, who each contributed £36 million within a two-day period, simply support the party’s agenda. These contributions now equal the record for the largest单笔 donations ever made to a UK political party.

The proposed reforms, added to the Representation of the People Bill following approval by MPs, also aim to limit how much returning expatriates can donate to £100,000 in their first year back in the country. The bill now requires scrutiny in the House of Lords.

Angela Rayner declined to confirm whether the new rules would apply retroactively to Delo and Harborne, citing a lack of knowledge regarding their individual circumstances. However, she emphasized that the legislative changes stem from a review by former top civil servant Philip Rycroft, published on 25 March. Rayner stated that the retrospective nature of the legislation was known to the public domain and confirmed that the government has written to the independent Electoral Commission to determine additional measures needed to safeguard democracy.