Reform receives record-breaking £9million donation from Thai-based former Tory donor
Thai-based businessman Christopher Harborne has given £9million to Nigel Farage's party
Reform UK has recorded the largest ever single donation in UK political history from someone still alive.
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New figures show that between July and the end of September, political parties have collectively received more than £24m in donations.
But a little under a third of this total sum was to one party - by just one person.
Christopher Harborne donated £9m to Nigel Farage's party on 1 August 2025.
Born and educated in the UK, Mr Harbone is now based in Thailand, where he chairs the investment company Sherriff Global Group.
He has previously donated millions to Reform in 2019, when it was known as the Brexit Party. But between 2001 and 2022, he donated close to £2million to the Tories.
The previous record was held by Lord David Sainsbury, who donated £8million pounds to the Lib Dems in 2019.
In total, political party’s in the UK recieved £24,159,261 in donations and public funds between July and September.
Jackie Killeen, Director of Electoral Administration and Regulation, said: “The UK political finance system has high levels of transparency, and we know that voters are interested in where parties get their money from.
“This quarterly publication is an important part of delivering this information for voters.
“However, we know there are parts of the system that need strengthening, and we have been calling for changes to the law for some time.
“The UK government’s proposed reforms to the political finance regime have the potential to improve the strength of donation controls and help ensure voters can have confidence in the political finance system.
“We will continue to work with the government so that any changes are evidence based and workable in practice.”