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The House of Lords is set to discuss proposed reforms to the rules governing political donations on Monday, following a remarkable £72 million contribution to Reform UK from two wealthy British individuals within a single day. The donations came from Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne, both of whom have spent periods living abroad, which has intensified calls for tighter restrictions on political funding from expatriates.
The government plans to introduce legislation that would cap donations from British citizens living overseas at £100,000, with this limit being applied retrospectively to donations made since 25 March. This move stems from concerns about safeguarding UK politics from foreign influence, based on recommendations from a review led by former civil servant Philip Rycroft. The bill now returns to the House of Lords for further scrutiny, where amendments are also expected, including proposals by Labour peer Lord Wills to extend donation caps to residents living within the UK.
Support for limiting large individual donations is growing. Sharon Graham, general secretary of Unite the Union—a major Labour donor—has expressed the necessity for such caps. She differentiates between millions spent by billionaires and the modest contributions made by ordinary workers, emphasizing fairness in political fundraising. However, Reform UK has accused Labour of attempting to manipulate the system after these calls for restrictions, stating that the party and its union allies “know they can’t win an election fairly so now they want to rig the system.”
Questions about whether Reform UK will retain the full amount of the £72 million remain unresolved. Robert Jenrick, the party’s economic spokesman, defended the donations as fully compliant with both current law and the forthcoming rules. The government has also proposed a minimum residency requirement, ensuring that the £100,000 cap applies to donors who return to the UK for the remainder of the year and the following year. Housing Secretary Angela Rayner confirmed that the changes would apply retrospectively and indicated that any funds given in breach of the new rules would have to be returned. While Rayner refrained from commenting specifically on Delo and Harborne’s cases, reports suggest both have since relocated back to the UK, with Delo reportedly returning last year. The government remains committed to addressing the influence of large donors through a newly established taskforce
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