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Rayner proposes retrospective £100,000 cap on overseas donations

By Drooid · Sep 13, 2026, 2:38 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Reform UK Funded

Reform UK received £72 million in donations from crypto billionaires Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne.
Housing Secretary Angela Rayner proposed retrospectively capping overseas donors at £100,000 per year, backdated to March.
Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick said Reform has no reason to return the money and the donations are lawful.
Parliamentary standards commissioner is investigating a separate £5 million gift from Harborne while the Metropolitan Police probe foreign-donation allegations.

Summary

Government Seeks Safeguards

The donation bill will be debated in the House of Lords this week.
The Rycroft review, published 25 March, underpins the bill's retrospective donation caps.
The government wrote to the Electoral Commission seeking additional democratic safeguards.
Both donors are British citizens who previously lived abroad, raising questions about residency definitions.
Rayner asserted the legislation targets foreign interference, not specific donors or parties.

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Reform UK Funded

Reform UK received £72 million in donations from crypto billionaires Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne.
Housing Secretary Angela Rayner proposed retrospectively capping overseas donors at £100,000 per year, backdated to March.
Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick said Reform has no reason to return the money and the donations are lawful.
Parliamentary standards commissioner is investigating a separate £5 million gift from Harborne while the Metropolitan Police probe foreign-donation allegations.

1 / 2