STORY
Reform UK accepted more than £5.3 million in reportable private donations during the second quarter of 2026, placing it ahead of Labour and the Conservatives. Electoral Commission figures showed Labour receiving approximately £3.59 million and the Conservatives £2.81 million in private donations during the same period.
Approximately £4 million of Reform UK’s total came from Ben Delo, the British co-founder of the cryptocurrency exchange BitMEX. Delo pleaded guilty in the United States in 2022 to violating the Bank Secrecy Act over failures to maintain an adequate anti-money laundering programme at the exchange. He was subsequently pardoned by US President Donald Trump.
The donation accounted for roughly three quarters of Reform UK’s private fundraising during the quarter. The figures are likely to intensify the political debate about large donations and the influence of wealthy individuals, with proposals to tighten eligibility rules and limit some donations already under consideration.