Conservative critics are rattling the political status quo after the Electoral Commission revealed that Reform UK’s fundraising haul dwarfs that of Labour and the Conservatives, with £5.3 million in the second quarter of 2026. The bulk of the money—£4 million—came from Ben Delo, a British billionaire whose crypto firm was convicted in the United States for lapses in anti‑money‑laundering controls. With Nigel Farage at the helm, the party’s financial windfall has sparked calls from opposition leaders that Farage should be held to account for the source and scale of his donations, or risk being deemed unfit for public office. The controversy underscores growing concerns over the influence of wealthy donors in UK politics.
Conservative leader says: ‘If Nigel Farage can’t handle difficult questions about his dodgy £5m, then he shouldn’t be a politician’The Electoral Commission has released political donation figures for the second quarter of 2026. They show that Reform UK continues to rake in far more than other parties. Nigel Farage’’s party had declared donations worth £5.3m. Labour got £3.6m, and the Conservatives £2.8m.Most of Reform UK’s money came from Ben Delo, who gave £4m. As Rowena Mason reported earlier this year, Delo is a British billionaire convicted in the US for failing to implement adequate anti-money-laundering controls in his cryptocurrency business. Continue reading...
