Jenrick says Reform's donations are in line with the law
Robert JenrickReform UK economic spokesperson
Jenrick says the government may keep changing the law to make donating to Reform harder, but that as it stands the donations are entirely in line with the law. He says Delo returned to the UK partly to comply with the changes.
“But, as it stands, we believe these are entirely in line with the law.”
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Reform UK accepts record 72 million pounds from two crypto billionaires as critics call for a donations cap
Reform UK accepted two donations of 36 million pounds each in September 2026. Ben Delo, a co-founder of the crypto trading platform BitMEX, announced his gift on September 11, and Christopher Harborne, a Thailand-based cryptocurrency investor, matched it the next day. According to the BBC, they are the largest sums a UK political party has received since donations had to be declared in 2001. Party leader Nigel Farage called the money an investment in democratic renewal that levels the playing field with Labour and the Conservatives, and Harborne said he expects nothing in return. Trades Union Congress general secretary Paul Nowak called Reform a party for sale and the donations a crisis for democracy, and a Labour cabinet minister, Liberal Democrats and a transparency campaigner criticized the donations or called for limits. The dispute is whether Reform was right to accept the money.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
Jenrick states the party's view of current and proposed rules. His confidence is not an independent legality determination.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Jenrick was answering questions after Rayner said proposed rule changes would apply retrospectively and that anyone not complying would have to return the money.
After the quotation
After the programme, a Reform UK spokesperson says the donations "won't ever have to be handed back."
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is Reform UK's acceptance of the two donations. Jenrick says they are entirely in line with the law, which defends accepting them.
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Angela Rayner says two offshore billionaires are trying to buy democracy
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The Dispute Index. "Jenrick says Reform's donations are in line with the law". First published: 2026-10-28. Last updated: 2026-10-28. https://disputeindex.com/events/7031-jenrick-says-the-government-may-keep-changing-the