New UK government proposals aim to prevent foreign money from influencing British elections by imposing stricter rules on political donors. Under the plan, any overseas voter moving to the UK would be restricted to a maximum of £100,000 in political donations for one year after their arrival. This move, announced alongside tougher checks on company donations, is designed to close loopholes that could allow foreign influence in UK politics. The government had previously set an annual £100,000 cap on donations from British citizens living abroad, effective from March 25, and now seeks to require individuals to be physically based in the UK for a minimum period before they can donate beyond that limit.
The proposed changes could directly impact two of Reform UK’s biggest financial backers: British billionaire Christopher Harborne and crypto investor Ben Delo. Harborne, a Thailand-based businessman, donated £12 million to Reform in 2025, including a single £9 million contribution, while Delo gave £4 million between January and March. Both have expressed intentions to move to the UK to continue supporting the party, but under the new rules, they would be subject to the £100,000 cap for their first year back. The government is also introducing measures requiring company donations to be assessed against post-tax profits over five years, not just revenue, and mandating that election candidates declare and verify any donations over £2,230 received before officially becoming candidates.
Communities Secretary Steve Reed stated that „British democracy is not for sale,” emphasizing that the rules are meant to „shut down dodgy funding, stop foreign money influencing our elections and keep our democracy strong.” The proposals, which will be introduced as amendments to the Representation of the People Bill, are part of a broader response to a review of political funding led by former senior civil servant Philip Rycroft. The review was commissioned to address threats of foreign meddling in British democracy, and follows a previous ban on cryptocurrency donations and the £100,000 annual cap on overseas citizen donations announced in March. Reform UK has criticized the measures, with home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf accusing Labour of „choking off legal funding for its main rival.”
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