Farage says £5m gift a reward for Brexit campaigning

The article notes Farage's assertion that the £5m gift was a reward for campaigning for Brexit and his claim that he cannot be bought. The Parliamentary Standards Commissioner launches an inquiry into whether Farage breached Commons rules by accepting the gift and not declaring it. Conservatives and Labour say Farage has questions to answer. The piece explains MPs' code of conduct requirements to register financial interests or registrable benefits within 12 months of election, and that purely personal gifts may not always require registration. It also mentions that the donor is a cryptocurrency investor living in Thailand, and that Reform UK received substantial contributions from him in 2025.

Harborne told The Telegraph in April 2026 that he wasn't expecting anything in return from the gift and said he gave the money to Farage because of admiration for Brexit work.

In total, the businessman gave £12m to Reform UK in 2025.

Harborne gave a single donation of £9m to Reform UK, the biggest to a UK political party by a living person.

A £5 million gift from Christopher Harborne to Nigel Farage was given on an unconditional basis and described as a reward for Brexit campaigning; Reform sources say it was made before Farage had decided to stand as an MP.