{
  "id": 6929704,
  "title": "Crypto billionaires give $97 million to Reform UK, fueling concerns about money in politics",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/12/crypto-billionaires-give-97-million-to-reform-uk-fueling-concerns",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-12T13:00:08.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Winnipeg Free Press",
    "slug": "winnipeg-free-press",
    "url": "https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/2026/09/12/crypto-billionaires-give-97-million-to-reform-uk-fueling-concerns-about-money-in-politics"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Reform UK, the anti-immigration party led by Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage, has recently received an unprecedented $97 million donation from two cryptocurrency billionaires. The first of these donations came from Ben Delo, co-founder of BitMEX cryptocurrency platform, who gave £36 million ($48 million). Shortly after, crypto investor Christopher Harborne matched Delo's contribution, adding another £36 million ($48 million) to the total.\n\nThese donations have sparked concerns about the influence of billionaire money in British politics. The Liberal Democrats, currently the third-largest party in the House of Commons, have called on Prime Minister Andy Burnham to limit political donations and protect democracy. They argue that unlimited donations from billionaire businessmen risk corrupting elections, likening Farage's ambition to bring \"Trump's America\" to the UK.\n\nThe twin donations represent the largest ever to a British political party. Reform UK, which has surged in public opinion polls, has criticized successive governments for failing to stop illegal migrant influxes and has called for stricter asylum policies. The party is currently the fifth-largest in the House of Commons, with eight seats compared to Labour's 408. Nigel Farage believes Reform UK could govern after the next election, but the party currently has no seats in the House of Commons.\n\nReform UK is already facing questions over its financial practices. An undercover investigation by Channel 4 News revealed senior party officials discussing ways to disguise foreign contributions. The Metropolitan Police Service has launched an investigation into allegations that Reform UK violated laws prohibiting overseas donations. Farage himself is under scrutiny by Parliament's standards watchdog for a £5 million gift he received from Harborne before his election to the House of Commons.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": "https://urgent.news/ill/6929704.png",
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 9,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Politico EU",
        "title": "Farage’s Reform UK gets £36 Million from crypto billionaire",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/12/farages-reform-uk-gets-36-million-from-crypto-billionaire",
        "published": "2026-09-12T10:17:24.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "BBC News",
        "title": "Reform receives second £36m donation in two days as crypto investor matches record",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/12/reform-receives-second-36m-donation-in-two-days-as-crypto-investor",
        "published": "2026-09-12T12:21:01.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "CityNews",
        "title": "Crypto billionaires give $97 million to Reform UK, fueling concerns about money in politics",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/12/crypto-billionaires-give-97-million-to-reform-uk-fueling-concerns-6940530",
        "published": "2026-09-12T13:00:08.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Cointelegraph",
        "title": "Farage’s Reform UK gets biggest donation ever from crypto billionaire: Reports",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/12/farages-reform-uk-gets-biggest-donation-ever-from-crypto-billionaire",
        "published": "2026-09-12T15:50:14.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "Second crypto billionaire says donated record £36 million to Reform UK",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/12/second-crypto-billionaire-says-donated-record-36-million-to-reform-uk",
        "published": "2026-09-12T19:46:33.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "Second crypto billionaire donates record $49m to far-right Reform UK",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/12/second-crypto-billionaire-donates-record-49m-to-far-right-reform-uk",
        "published": "2026-09-12T20:43:57.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Sydney Morning Herald",
        "title": "Bitcoin billionaires give Nigel Farage’s Reform UK £72m in 48 hours",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/bitcoin-billionaires-give-nigel-farages-reform-uk-72m-in-48-hours",
        "published": "2026-09-13T06:30:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Age",
        "title": "Bitcoin billionaires give Nigel Farage’s Reform UK £72m in 48 hours",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/bitcoin-billionaires-give-nigel-farages-reform-uk-72m-in-48-hours-7076626",
        "published": "2026-09-13T06:30:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}