Overview
- The Liberal Democrats have asked the Electoral Commission to investigate Reform UK's crypto donations and potential conflicts, while Labour also called for a probe and Conservatives submitted parliamentary questions on election rules for crypto.
- The Electoral Commission says no party has reported crypto-asset donations to date, noting parties have until the end of January to declare donations received from 1 October onward.
- Reform UK says none of Christopher Harborne’s £9 million donation was in cryptocurrency, and Nigel Farage says the donor sought nothing in return and that he is confident about the money’s source.
- Farage has promoted pro-crypto policies and referenced Tether on LBC in September, later telling Reuters the party had received “a couple” of crypto-asset donations without providing details.
- Observer analysis finds Harborne has given Reform £19.2 million in total, accounting for 59% of donations since the last election, with roughly two-thirds of the party’s recent funding linked to overseas residents including donors tied to Monaco, Jersey, Antigua, the UAE and the US.