Mr Harborne, whose £5 million personal gift to Nigel Farage to pay for his security is the subject of a parliamentary investigation, told The Telegraph that Reform “needs more money than can be provided by membership fees alone” to create the sort of infrastructure older parties have built over more than a century.
asserted
parties → pay → century
It comes the day after Mr Delo, who was convicted in the US of failing to establish an adequate anti-money laundering program, provided his own £36 million donation to ensure a "fair fight and a level playing field" against the entrenched advantages of the Labour and Conservative parties.
asserted
who → come → parties
Before Friday, the largest single donation to a political party had been a £10 million bequest left to the Conservatives, while the biggest donation from a living person was £9 million given by Mr Harborne to Reform last year.
asserted
donation → leave → Reform
Earlier this year Labour imposed a cap of £100,000 on donations to political parties from expatriate donors.
asserted
Labour → impose → donors
The government has also proposed further restrictions on donations in its Representation of the People Bill, with some MPs calling on Prime Minister Andy Burnham to impose caps on UK-based individual donors to match the cap on foreign donors.
asserted
MPs → propose → donors
The BitMEX co-founder Mr Delo has accused the Government of wanting to “rig” the next election and the donations from him and Mr Harborne have come before Labour has a chance to make major changes to donation rules.
asserted
Labour → accuse → rules
In February 2022, Mr Delo pleaded guilty in a New York federal court to willfully failing to establish, implement, and maintain an adequate anti-money laundering (AML) program at BitMEX.
asserted
Delo → plead → BitMEX
But he was granted an unconditional pardon last year by US President Donald Trump.
asserted
he → grant → Trump
Writing for the Telegraph, he said: “Unlike the people who express mock concern for the health of ‘our democracy’ while doing everything they can to keep it as a cartel, I want a fair fight and a level playing field.
asserted
I → write → fight
“My conclusion from Reform’s recent troubles is that they should spend less time trying to raise funds to compete on equal terms and more time preparing for government.”
asserted
they → spend → government
The two donations mean that Reform has now raised more than £86m in donations so far this year, compared to £10.2 million raised by the Conservatives and £7.7 million by Labour.
asserted
Reform → mean → Labour
Mr Farage told The Telegraph: “I am honoured and humbled that Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne have shown such confidence in Reform.
asserted
Delo → tell → Reform
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“Both men know that we are the only party that can turn the country around and win the next General Election - thanks to their generosity, we are now able to fight that election on a level playing field.”
asserted
we → read → field
The extra £72 million that Reform now has to spend will enable it to recruit more policy staff and campaign managers in target constituencies.
asserted
Reform → have → constituencies
The huge donations will be a welcome boost to Nigel Farage’s party at a time where he is facing a police investigation into oversees funding for Reform UK, alongside a standards inquiry into the undeclared £5 million "unconditional gift" he received from Mr Harborne.
Mr Farage has said he has done nothing wrong and the gift was not political.
asserted
gift → face → nothing
Reform UK denies any wrongdoing and has said it will co-operate fully with the probe.
asserted
it → deny → probe
Mr Farage’s long-time aide Dan Jukes, who also denies wrongdoing, and head of policy James Orr have been suspended pending an internal investigation into the allegations.
asserted
who → deny → allegations
A Labour spokesperson said: “Nigel Farage is still up to his neck in scandal over his secret £5 million ‘gift’ from his other crypto-billionaire backer and the criminal investigation into potentially illegal donations.
asserted
Farage → say → donations
“The questions he faces aren’t going away – in fact they’re piling up.
asserted
they → face → fact
“Reform UK can’t buy their way out of questions about sleaze, criminal mates and dodgy finances.
asserted
UK → buy → sleaze
“It’s time Farage and Reform finally came clean with the public, co-operated fully with the police, and proved they’re not just in it for themselves.”
asserted
they → ’ → themselves
Liberal Democrat Cabinet Office spokesperson Lisa Smart said: “Nigel Farage wants to bring Trump’s America to our shores by buying his way into power.
asserted
Farage → say → power
He’s trying to get into Number 10 as if it’s a stop on a monopoly board.
asserted
it → try → board
“It can’t go on like this.
asserted
It → go → this
Andy Burnham needs to introduce a cap on political donations.
asserted
Burnham → need → donations
Our democracy depends on it.”
asserted
democracy → depend → it
The Aporia
