Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party receives second big donation from crypto investor
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party received its second major donation from crypto investor Christopher Harborne in the fourth quarter of last year, helping it raise more money than its rivals in the period.
The reform raised 5.5 million pounds ($7.4 million) in the fourth quarter of last year, helped by a $3 million donation from Harborne, the Electoral Commission said on Thursday.
This comes after he gave £9m to the party in the previous quarter; this was the largest donation by a living donor to a British political party.
The donations mean Reform received more donations in the last quarter than the ruling Labor Party, which received nearly £2 million, excluding public funds, and the opposition Conservative Party’s £2.4 million.
Farage, a veteran Brexit campaigner and friend of US President Donald Trump, is on a mission to professionalise the party ahead of the next national election in 2029.
It comes after a former Labor mayor and former councilor joined Reform UK in accusing the ruling party of failing in London.
Sir Robin Wales, who was directly elected mayor of Newham from 2002 to 2018, and Clive Furness, who served on the council, announced on Wednesday that they would switch to Nigel Farage’s party.
The Reform UK leader had mocked the possibility of recruiting Labor members weeks ago, saying talks were ongoing with some people in “senior positions” in the party and “they will come”.
Mr Furness has been selected as Reform’s candidate for mayor of Newham, while Sir Robin will serve as the party’s London local government director.
London Labor claimed that Reform was “scraping the barrel” as neither man had been involved in the Labor movement “for some time”. Sir Robin was not elected by the party in Newham in 2018.
Announcing his move at a press conference with Mr Farage on Wednesday, Sir Robin said Reformation had “many rough edges” but represented a chance to “transform our society”.
