Reform UK gets record £9M donation from Christopher Harborne
Reform UK has received a 9 million British pounds (about $12 million) contribution from early crypto investor Christopher Harborne, marking the largest single political donation by a living individual in the United Kingdom. The donation, disclosed ahead of local elections scheduled for May, was reported by the BBC on Thursday, citing newly released Electoral Commission data.
Harborne, a British citizen based in Thailand, has previously supported UK political groups. According to the report, his earlier donations included contributions to the Conservatives under Boris Johnson and to the Brexit Party—subsequently renamed Reform UK—during the 2019–2020 period.
The sum surpasses the prior individual record of $10.7 million donated by supermarket heir Lord David Sainsbury to the Liberal Democrats in 2019 – detailed in this report by the Telegraph.
Harborne’s crypto background
Harborne, who describes himself as a “digital nomad,” is known for his cryptocurrency investments. He holds nearly a 13% stake in Tether, the company behind the USDt (USDT) stablecoin, a stake connected to compensation related to a 2016 Bitfinex hack. He has stated he does not hold any executive position at either company.
In 2023, Harborne filed a defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal over an article that he says falsely alleged he facilitated illegal activity at Tether and Bitfinex, including accusations of “committing fraud, laundering money, and financing terrorists.” The piece reported that Bitfinex faced banking access challenges in late 2018 and relied on intermediaries and shell companies, citing internal documents. References to Harborne were later removed from the article.
UK considers restrictions on crypto donations
The record donation arrives as the UK weighs a potential ban on cryptocurrency donations to political parties, reportedly under discussion within a proposed Elections Bill aimed at bolstering public confidence and tightening campaign finance regulations.
Reform UK earlier this year became the first party to accept cryptocurrency donations. The party is currently leading national polling at around 27%, with Labour and the Conservatives both below 20%, according to Politico.
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