Reform UK has received a £36m donation from British cryptocurrency businessman Ben Delo, the largest single contribution ever made to a UK political party, the donor wrote in the Daily Telegraph.
Delo said he would effectively be supplying the party with £1m a month until the latest date Labour could call a general election in 2029, but pledged to deliver the full sum up front in case future limits on large donations are introduced. The party said it would cooperate with any inquiries.
What was donated and why
In an article published in the Daily Telegraph, Delo framed the gift as an attempt to create a "fair fight and a level playing field" for Reform. He has previously given the party £4m. The latest contribution is unprecedented in scale for UK politics and comes at a time when rules on political funding are under increasing public and official scrutiny.
"Unlike the people who express mock concern for the health of 'our democracy' while doing everything they can to keep it as a cartel, I want a fair fight and a level playing field," Delo wrote.
Immediate reactions and investigations
Reform leader Nigel Farage said he was "honoured and humbled" by the donation. The party has been the subject of a police probe after Channel 4 News broadcast allegations it breached foreign funding laws; Reform has denied wrongdoing and said it would cooperate with the investigation.
Separately, Farage is being investigated by the parliamentary standards commissioner over whether he should have declared a previously reported £5m cash gift from Thailand-based cryptocurrency investor Christopher Harborne ahead of the 2024 election. Farage maintains the gift was "purely private" and unrelated to his public duties, and therefore was not required to be registered.
Context and legal framework
There are currently no statutory caps on the amount that UK-based donors may give to political parties. Labour has previously enacted a rule capping donations from British citizens living overseas at £100,000. Delo, who was born in Sheffield and has said he intends to return to the UK from Hong Kong, was granted an unconditional pardon last year in the United States by President Donald Trump over a Bank Secrecy Act violation.
The scale and timing of the donation have sparked debate about whether existing transparency and regulatory arrangements are sufficient to handle very large individual gifts, especially from figures with international business ties. The decision to transfer the full sum up front — rather than monthly as outlined — was explained by Delo as a hedge against potential future limits on mega-donations.
Key facts at a glance
- Donor: Ben Delo, British cryptocurrency entrepreneur
- Recipient: Reform UK
- Amount: £36m (largest single donation to a UK political party)
- Proposed schedule: £1m per month until the latest potential election date in 2029 — but reportedly given up front
- Ongoing scrutiny: Police investigation into alleged foreign funding breaches; parliamentary standards probe into a separate £5m gift to Nigel Farage
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Previous donations by Delo to Reform | £4m |
| Reported separate gift under investigation | £5m to Nigel Farage (from Christopher Harborne) |
The contribution will intensify scrutiny of how political parties are financed and of the safeguards around donations from wealthy individuals associated with the cryptocurrency sector. It also increases pressure on Parliament and regulators to consider whether current disclosure and donation limits are adequate for modern political campaigning.
For now, the donation stands as the largest single political gift recorded in the UK. Authorities have been notified of concerns around the party's fundraising in relation to alleged foreign funding rules, and Reform has said it will co-operate with police enquiries.
As the story develops, questions will centre on compliance with electoral law, the role of large private donations in shaping political competition, and the potential need for reform of the transparency regime governing party funding.
