Reform’s record £36m cash boost puts party on ‘level playing field’, says Tice
The Reform deputy leader told LBC the party's recent multi-million-pound donation will give other potential donors confidence as well
Reform UK’s deputy leader Richard Tice has told LBC the party’s recent £36 million donation will put it “on a level playing field” with Labour and the Conservatives.
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Speaking with LBC, Tice said that he is “enormously humbled at the vote of confidence” from donor Ben Delo, the billionaire co-founder of crypto trading platform BitMEX who was recently pardoned by President Donald Trump.
When asked what the party will do with the millions, Tice said: “It'll allow us to employ campaign managers, as I say, in almost every constituency across the country.
“It will allow us to employ the best, highest quality researchers, policy people, and to retain the best... And having that confidence, it actually gives other potential donors additional confidence as well.”
Delo currently resides in Hong Kong, but will be moving back to the UK to make this large donation compliant with British electoral law.
Read more: Nigel Farage may be interviewed by police amid Reform donations investigation
He was previously convicted of a Bank Secrecy Act violation in the US. His probationary period was cut short due to a pardon from President Trump.
Tice was asked by LBC about Reform’s other ongoing donation scandals, specifically about how Nigel Farage is currently being looked into by the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner for taking a £5 million personal gift from another crypto magnate prior to running as an MP.
Tice said in response: “Of course, our enemies are going to do everything they can and have been to try and stop us. That's the brutal nature of politics in the United Kingdom today.”
The MP for Boston and Skegness added: “What we're deeply grateful for is people who, who love this country, huge patriots that know it's, it's broken, nothing works, we're in terrible financial trouble, we're being invaded by illegal migrants, and we've got to change course urgently.
"Otherwise, it's literally game over for this country.”
Tice did not directly answer whether any of the £36 million will go towards paying legal fees faced by the party.
Reform is currently also being investigated by the Metropolitan Police after leaders, including Nigel Farage, appeared to discuss a foreign donation scheme in a Channel 4 sting.
In response to whether he is concerned that voters will be turned off by the numerous donation scandals, Tice said: “You have good days, you have bad days. That's the nature of life.
“We push on, and we've got to make sure that we have the best people doing the best job. And if we achieve that, then hopefully we'll convince more and more people to vote for us.”