Farage Threatens to Block Union Cash for Labour Over Reform UK's £72m Donations
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Sep 15
Farage Threatens to Block Union Cash for Labour Over Reform UK's £72m Donations
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Sep 15
Summary
Nigel Farage said a Reform UK government would ban trade union funding for Labour if ministers use new donation laws to block the party’s £72m from two billionaire backers.
The threat follows plans to tighten the elections bill further in the Lords, with ministers already believing the version passed by MPs could stop some or all of the donations.
The proposed rules would apply retrospectively from March 2026 and could force scrutiny of the two £36m gifts from Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne, though Farage says both are lawful under current rules.
Union leaders, long wary that donation caps could later be turned against Labour, are now expected to respond after Reform UK’s record fundraising reignited the wider battle over party finance.
Could retroactively banning Reform UK's historic £72m windfall trigger the collapse of Britain's entire political funding system?
Why is the government rushing to backdate election laws just as a rival party secures the largest donation in British history?
Will the unprecedented ban on crypto donations permanently lock anti-establishment parties out of the political race?
How £72 Million in Crypto Donations Upended UK Politics: The Reform UK Scandal and the Fight for Electoral Integrity
Overview
In September 2026, Reform UK was rocked by a record £72 million donation from crypto figures Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne, triggering a wave of controversy and backlash. An undercover investigation exposed party officials discussing ways to disguise foreign donations, leading to a criminal probe by the Metropolitan Police. As rival parties and watchdogs warned of the 'Americanisation' of UK politics, the government responded with a crackdown: capping overseas donations, banning crypto contributions, and proposing retrospective laws that could force Reform UK to return the money. Amid these scandals, public trust in Reform UK collapsed, and support for alternative funding models like public 'civic vouchers' began to grow.