British crypto entrepreneur and BitMEX co founder Ben Delo has pledged a record £36 million to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, delivering the largest single political donation in British history, according to Bloomberg and Financial Times. Delo said the funding is intended to give Reform a “fair fight” against the governing Labour Party and the Conservatives and help the party prepare for government ahead of the next general election, expected in 2029.
The contribution will amount to £1 million a month through to the next national election, according to Delo, who has already donated £8 million to Reform this year. His latest commitment surpasses the previous British political donation record of £10 million left to the Conservative Party by businessman John Sainsbury. Reform leader Nigel Farage welcomed the contribution, saying he was “honoured and humbled” by Delo’s confidence in the party.
The scale of the donation comes as Reform faces heightened scrutiny over its finances. The Metropolitan Police are investigating allegations that senior party figures discussed ways of facilitating foreign donations in breach of UK electoral law, while the Electoral Commission is also reviewing the matter. Reform has denied wrongdoing and said it is cooperating with the authorities.
For Reform UK, the funding provides an unprecedented financial war chest to expand its organisation, develop policy and prepare for the next election, potentially giving the party a major fundraising advantage over established competitors. For British politics more broadly, however, Delo’s intervention is likely to intensify debate over the influence of wealthy individuals in elections and whether the country’s political finance rules require stronger limits on large private donations.
