Chris Harborne Makes Historic £9m Donation to Reform UK

Record-Breaking Political Contribution

Christopher Harborne, a British-Thai businessman and cryptocurrency investor, has made headlines with a £9 million donation to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party. The sum is the biggest single donation made by a living donor to a UK political party, surpassing all previous contributions and signalling significant financial backing for the populist movement.

The 62-year-old, who also holds Thai citizenship, made the donation in August, pushing Reform UK’s fundraising ahead of both Labour and the Tories. This unprecedented contribution has sparked debate about political funding and the influence of wealthy donors in British politics.

Who Is Christopher Harborne?

Harborne is a University of Cambridge graduate based in Thailand who previously worked for five years as a management consultant at McKinsey and Co. The aviation entrepreneur and founder of AML Global had spent almost two decades donating to the Conservative Party, contributing £1.8 million between 2003 and 2022.

His business interests span financial services and early cryptocurrency investments, including stakes in the companies behind Tether and the Bitfinex exchange. Harborne donated more than £6m to the Brexit Party in 2019, making him the largest donor that year before returning to support Reform UK.

Impact on UK Politics

Harborne’s latest cash injection takes Reform UK’s overall donations up to £10.3 million in the third quarter of 2025, positioning the party ahead of established rivals. The Tory Party managed to rake in £4.5 million in the third quarter, whilst Labour’s donations over the same period stood at just £1.9 million.

The donation has prompted concerns from electoral reform groups, with calls for greater transparency in political funding. Nigel Farage has insisted the donor ‘wants nothing from me’, though questions remain about the influence of such substantial contributions on policy decisions. As Reform UK continues to poll strongly ahead of the 2026 local elections, Harborne’s financial support could prove crucial to the party’s electoral ambitions and reshape the British political landscape.