Reform UK is seeking a record £100 million war chest for the next general election, led by honorary treasurer Nick Candy as the party polls at around 27%. Reform raised £9.2 million in Q1 — more than Labour and the Conservatives — helped by major gifts from Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne given before a new £100,000 overseas-donation cap. The funds would be used to recruit and vet candidates and support a 2028 London mayoral bid, while Nigel Farage faces a standards probe over a separate £5 million gift.
Reform UK Targets Record £100m War Chest as It Leads the Polls
Nigel Farage’s party is said to be planning to spend the money on recruiting and vetting new candidates - Chris J Ratcliffe
Reform UK is attempting to build an unprecedented £100 million war chest to finance its campaign for the next general election, party sources say.
Senior figures in Nigel Farage’s party have reportedly informed donors of the fundraising goal in recent days. If achieved, the sum would exceed any amount previously raised by a UK political party and underline the scale of Reform’s electoral ambitions.
Nick Candy, Reform’s honorary treasurer, is understood to be leading the fundraising drive ahead of the election. The party’s current polling, which places it at roughly 27%, has helped fuel the push for a substantially larger campaign fund.
How the Money Would Be Used
Insiders say most of the cash would be earmarked to recruit and vet new parliamentary candidates and to support long-term campaign infrastructure. A portion of the funds would also be reserved to back Laila Cunningham’s bid for Mayor of London in 2028.
Fundraising Momentum and Major Donors
Official filings show Reform received £9.2 million in donations in the first quarter of this year, outpacing both Labour (£4.2 million) and the Conservatives (£4.0 million) in the same period. Much of this surge has been driven by large contributions from crypto entrepreneurs Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne.
According to public records, Mr Delo — who is based in Hong Kong — gave £4.0 million to Reform between January and March, while Thai-based Mr Harborne donated £3.0 million. Those gifts were made in the weeks before the government introduced a new £100,000 cap on donations from British citizens living overseas for contributions after 25 March.
Mr Delo has since indicated he intends to return to the UK so he can lawfully make further contributions to the party.
Controversies And Other Backers
Nigel Farage is also facing scrutiny over a separate £5.0 million donation from Mr Harborne that he received before re-entering Parliament in 2024; the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards is investigating the payment. Mr Farage has said the gift was given before he returned to frontline politics and that he was under "no obligation" to declare it.
Other notable supporters include Lord Bamford, the owner of JCB, and fund manager Jeremy Hosking, who has donated around £1.7 million; Hosking’s firm, Hosking Partners, holds substantial investments in fossil fuels, according to public information.
Electoral Context
The disclosure of Reform’s fundraising target comes days before the Makerfield by-election, where Andy Burnham is expected to be elected as MP. Reform’s candidate, Robert Kenyon, is trailing in polls, and some local activists say a rise in support for Restore Britain — a new party led by Rupert Lowe and boosted on X by endorsements from Elon Musk — has further complicated Reform’s chances in the June 18 contest.
Reform declined to comment on the reported fundraising target.
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