‘Where there’s a will, there’s a way’. That was Christopher Harborne’s reaction to the new electoral laws which cap political donations from foreign-based citizens at £100,000. However, the man who has bankrolled Nigel Farage and Reform appears to have found a workaround.
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Christopher Harborne finds way to up his Reform warchest
As reported by The Times, Mr. Harborne – who has ended up embroiled in a major scandal regarding his donations to Farage – has updated his registered address to a farm in Berkshire on the Electoral Roll. This means that he is now eligible to vote as a UK resident.
In turn, and under the current interpretation of the legislation, this would allow Harborne to continue donating millions to his chosen political causes without facing the same obstacles. But his involvement in British politics has already caused a major storm.
Harborne lined the Reform’s leaders pockets with a cool £5 million back in 2024, just weeks before Mr. Farage declared his intention to run for Parliament as the MP for Clacton. The money was not declared by the veteran Brexiteer, and a Parliamentary investigation is underway.
Scandal engulfing Nigel Farage as trouble looms ahead
Reform have been riding high in the polls for a while – but support for the party appears to be waning. Farage himself has had to bat away several scandals, ranging from his relationship with Nathan Gill, to accusations of racism and antisemitism while he was a student.
However, the controversy surrounding his massive payday has arguably been the most damaging. New opinion polls show Labour gaining nine points on the turquoise rosettes, and a Burnham-led party also outperforms a Farage-led one, as per More In Common.
When questioned about the donation, which was never declared to Parliament, Nigel Farage has gone from evading an answer, to saying he could use the money for anything he wants – including the purchase of a Ferrari. It hasn’t landed well, and his back is firmly against the wall.