REFORM UK RECEIVES RECORD £36M DONATION FROM CRYPTO BILLIONAIRE

Reform UK has received a £36m donation from British cryptocurrency billionaire Ben Delo, according to official sources. The sum constitutes the largest single donation ever given to a UK political party. Delo announced the gift in writing, stating he intended to donate £1m per month until the latest date a general election could be called in 2029, but chose to provide all funds upfront to protect against potential future government restrictions on mega-donations. Party leader Nigel Farage said he was "honoured and humbled" by the contribution.

Delo, who was born in Sheffield and has previously donated £4m to Reform, has stated he will relocate to the UK from Hong Kong to continue supporting the party. He wrote that he sought to ensure "a fair fight and a level playing field" in political fundraising. Last year, Delo received an unconditional pardon from US President Donald Trump over a Bank Secrecy Act violation. Currently, no restrictions exist on the amount of money UK-based donors can give to political parties, though Labour previously introduced a £100,000 cap on donations from British citizens living overseas.

The donation comes amid ongoing scrutiny of Reform's fundraising practices. Police announced an investigation following allegations the party breached foreign funding laws, reported by Channel 4 News. Reform denied wrongdoing and said it would cooperate with the investigation. Farage is also subject to investigation by the parliamentary standards commissioner regarding whether he should have declared a £5m cash gift from Thailand-based cryptocurrency investor Christopher Harborne ahead of the 2024 election.