Nigel Farage's Reform UK has secured a monumental financial boost, accepting a single donation of £9 million from Thai-based billionaire Christopher Harborne. The sum, given in August, represents the largest ever political donation from a living individual in UK history.
A Donation That Dwarfs the Competition
The scale of the injection into Reform's coffers is stark when compared to its rivals. Electoral Commission data released on Thursday 4 December 2025 shows Harborne's £9m gift was nearly double the total donations received by the Conservative Party in the entire third quarter of the year. The Labour Party, meanwhile, attracted approximately £1.9m in donations over the same three-month period.
This single contribution is second only to the £10m bequeathed to the Conservatives in the will of Lord Sainsbury two years ago. The next largest individual donation recently was £1m from game entrepreneur Jeremy Elliott San to the Tories.
Who is the Billionaire Backing Reform?
Christopher Harborne is a significant figure in the worlds of finance and defence. He is best known for his early investments in the cryptocurrency sphere, including the stablecoin giant Tether and the Bitfinex exchange. Closer to home, he is the largest shareholder in UK defence contractor Qinetiq and founded aviation fuel supplier AML Global.
Harborne is no stranger to political philanthropy. He previously donated to the Brexit Party, Reform's forerunner, in 2019 and 2020. He also gave £1m to Boris Johnson's office over two years ago, accompanied the former Prime Minister on a trip to Ukraine in late 2023, and funded Nigel Farage's travel to Donald Trump's second inauguration this February.
Funding a Political Offensive
The colossal donation arrives at a critical moment for Reform UK. The funds are bolstering the party's war chest as Nigel Farage and policy chief Zia Yusuf lead a series of pre-Budget press conferences, outlining their economic vision for the country. The money is expected to help the party maintain its poll position in the coming months.
While a Financial Times report suggested donors had been briefed on a potential electoral pact with the Conservatives, Farage has firmly denied such plans. The donation underscores Reform's growing financial clout, which also includes support from:
- Party treasurer and property developer Nick Candy.
- Investor William Alan McIntosh.
- Sotheby's International Realty, led by Dubai investor George Azar.
- A £50,000 donation from Viscountess Rothermere, wife of the Daily Mail's owner.
This record-breaking financial backing signals a profound shift in the landscape of UK political funding, providing Reform with significant resources as the next General Election approaches.
