The far-right Reform UK party, led by populist Nigel Farage, is surging in popularity by demanding tougher border controls and opposing immigration. However, an examination of its finances reveals a different story: the party relies heavily on foreign donations and international connections.

Its largest donor is Christopher Harborne, a British-Thai crypto billionaire based in Thailand, who has given over £22 million ($30 million) to Reform UK, including £12 million in 2025 alone. A £5 million gift from Harborne to Farage was initially undeclared, sparking a parliamentary complaint.

Farage himself benefits from foreign patronage. In December 2024, the United Arab Emirates paid for his trip to Abu Dhabi and provided $9,000 in Paddock passes for the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. This contradicts his anti-immigration stance targeting the Middle East.

Experts criticize the UK’s political donation system as outdated. Duncan Hames of Transparency International UK called it “a plaything for the super-rich.” Professor Sam Power noted that Reform UK has “supercharged” the scale of donations while showing little interest in transparency.

The UK government plans to cap annual donations from overseas residents at £100,000 and temporarily ban cryptocurrency donations. Power proposes a “democracy backstop” of £1 million per donor to reduce the influence of mega-donors.

Source: www.aljazeera.com