The hard-right Restore Britain party has secured its first major donation of £500,000 from IT entrepreneur Simon Galbraith, a sign that it may continue to pose a threat to Nigel Farage's Reform UK.
Rupert Lowe, an MP who left Reform UK to start his own party, announced on Tuesday that Galbraith had contributed two donations of £250,000 this year. Galbraith's company, Cade Hill Investments, made the contribution because he believes that "most British people sense Britain's decline."
Entrepreneur cites state failure and democratic deficit
In a statement, Galbraith said: "There is a centralised, bloated and incompetent state which is increasingly undemocratic, British institutions are unfocused on what they should be for and our democracy doesn't represent the interests and opinions of many. Things are worse than most people realise, but the opportunity is much greater than everyone thinks too. If Restore win power, I think it will spark a British renaissance."
The £500,000 sum is small compared with the millions given to Reform UK by crypto billionaires Christopher Harborne and Ben Delo, as well as further millions pledged by Iranian-born billionaire Sasan Ghandehari. However, Restore Britain's ability to raise a substantial sum from a private donor will improve its potential to challenge Reform UK from the right in targeted areas.
Party plans to field candidate against Farage
Restore Britain has previously said it will field a candidate against Farage if he faces a second by-election in Clacton after the standards investigation into his finances is concluded.
In August, Lowe offered an olive branch to Farage, suggesting the parties could work together on "mass deportation" of illegal migrants "including women and children," tougher rules on legal migration, a ban on halal and kosher slaughter, the burqa, cousin marriage and sharia courts, and a referendum on the death penalty. He also called for the exclusion of former Tory ministers from any future cabinet.
Farage dismisses Lowe's offer
In response, Farage suggested Lowe was not making a credible "offer" and accused him of "screaming" and "threatening" colleagues when he was in the party ranks.
Announcing Restore's new donation, Lowe said: "I am delighted to announce that British entrepreneur Simon Galbraith has chosen to support Restore Britain, starting with two separate donations totalling £500,000 to our party – I would like to sincerely thank Simon on behalf of our party and our membership."
The donation marks a significant milestone for Restore Britain as it seeks to establish itself as a viable alternative to Reform UK on the right of British politics.
