Story perspectives

House of Lords Debates £100,000 Cap on Donations

By Drooid · Sep 16, 2026, 4:40 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

The UK House of Lords began debating a bill to cap overseas political donations at £100,000.
Reform UK received £72 million from crypto donors Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne, each giving £36 million.
The Representation of the People Bill would backdate the £100,000 limit to 25 March 2026.
Nigel Farage said the donations comply with current law, though the new bill may bar them.

History

Historical Context

The Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act of 1998 introduced a £5,000 ceiling on foreign political donations, a rule later reinforced by the 2000 act that created the Electoral Commission and banned foreign donors outright. After Labour reported £4.2 million in overseas contributions in the 2005 election, recent Lords debate proposes raising the cap to £100,000, a move highlighted by Reform UK’s £72 million crypto-funded pledge.

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Story summary

The UK House of Lords began debating a bill to cap overseas political donations at £100,000.
Reform UK received £72 million from crypto donors Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne, each giving £36 million.
The Representation of the People Bill would backdate the £100,000 limit to 25 March 2026.
Nigel Farage said the donations comply with current law, though the new bill may bar them.

1 / 2