Reform UK, a political party in the United Kingdom, has received a historic donation of £9 million (approximately $12 million) from Christopher Harborne, an early mover in cryptocurrency. This donation is noted to be the largest single political gift given by a living individual in the UK and occurs just months ahead of local elections set for May.
According to recent findings from the Electoral Commission, this remarkable contribution surpasses the previous record held by Lord David Sainsbury, who donated $10.7 million to the Liberal Democrats in 2019.
Harborne’s Political Engagements Harborne, currently residing in Thailand, has a history of financial support for UK political initiatives, including prior donations to the Conservative Party and the Brexit Party, which has since rebranded to Reform UK.
The donation arrives as the UK government contemplates a ban on cryptocurrency donations to political parties under a proposed Elections Bill intended to improve the integrity of campaign financing and boost public trust in politics. Reform UK is currently leading national opinion polls at about 27%, significantly ahead of Labour and Conservatives.
Reform UK leads in polls.
Source: Politico
Harborne’s Crypto Ventures Describing himself as a digital nomad, Harborne is noteworthy for his substantial involvement in cryptocurrencies, holding a nearly 13% stake in Tether, which is associated with a hack that occurred at Bitfinex back in 2016. He has no official executive position within either company.
In a related legal matter, Harborne recently initiated a defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal for claims suggesting his involvement in illegitimate operations tied to Tether and Bitfinex. He firmly asserts that the accusations against him of committing fraud or facilitating money laundering are baseless, as reported in a previous article.
For further reading, see our article on the UK’s plans regarding crypto donation regulation.
Find more about the potential for stricter regulations on political finances and cryptocurrencies.
