Rayner insists British democracy 'must be safeguarded' - but Reform 'confident' they will not have to hand back millions
Angela Rayner has told LBC that British democracy "must be safeguarded" from the impact of foreign donations after suggesting that Reform UK may be forced to hand back £72m in donations it received from cryptocurrency billionaires last week.
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The local government secretary was speaking to LBC's Sunday with Lewis Goodall after Reform received the record-breaking sum last week.
She told Lewis: "We've had the Rycroft Review, which we've gone through. That's where the Representation of the People Bill, a lot of those recommendations are going forward. That's not the limitations of what we want to see.
"We want to see our democracy safeguarded. against foreign interference. And we can't have a situation where one or two individuals in a particular sector with billions of pounds seem to be able to buy our democracy. And I think people are genuinely concerned about that."
Reform's leader Nigel Farage said that the money, brought in by two matching £36 million donations by cryptocurrency billionaires Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne, would be used to build the party’s policy and campaign operation.
Mr Farage said Reform would fund a major research and policy department to ensure its plans were “properly costed and workable”, while bringing in expertise across key areas.
The party says it has raised over £86 million in donations this year, and the latest cash injection will bolster recruitment at its headquarters and campaign teams in target seats.
When asked whether she thought the donations were legal, Rayner was cautious not to speculate.
She told Lewis: "Well, again, I'm not going to go on about these particular individuals because I don't know these particular individuals' circumstances, and that's not fair and right to do that.
"But there is a broader question that was already being asked about who influences our democracy and making sure we safeguard it into the future."
Speaking to Sky News, Ms Rayner suggested donations rules brought in by the Government "will be backdated".
She added that donors who were based overseas and who have "recently returned to the UK... are also within the scope" of a review.
A Reform UK source later told Sky News that they are "100% confident both are legal and won't ever have to be handed back".
Speaking to the broadcaster, the party's economic spokesperson Robert Jenrick said any suggestion that the donation will impact policy on cryptocurrency was "complete nonsense".
"They've asked nothing in return for their donations," he added, pledging that neither Delo or Harborne would receive honours in return for their donations if Reform enter Government.