Reform UK Donations of £72m Called 'Perfectly Legal' Amid Retrospective Action Warning
Robert Jenrick says he is 'very confident' in the legality of major donations to Reform UK, as Labour's Angela Rayner raises possibility of retrospective action and Conservative Tom Tugendhat faces questions over the party's response.
Robert Jenrick said he is “very confident” that £72m in donations to Reform UK are “perfectly legal,” according to reporting by The Guardian. The donations include a £36m contribution from Christopher Harborne that matches a similar sum given by Ben Delo.
According to the report, Reform UK's economic spokesperson described the donations as a “breakthrough moment” for the party.
Labour's Angela Rayner has warned that retrospective action regarding the donations could be possible, the report said, though further details of what such action might entail were not specified in the source material.
Separately, Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat was asked on Sky News whether the Conservative Party was “rattled” by the scale of money flowing into Reform UK. Tugendhat responded that he “welcomes people supporting political activity” within a democracy, according to the broadcast exchange described in the report.
During the interview, Sky presenter Rachel Johnson interjected to ask whether that welcome extended “even crypto billionaires who live in Thailand,” an apparent reference to Harborne, the report noted.
The Guardian's live coverage described the £72m in donations as making Reform UK's political prospects “both rosier and riskier,” though the article did not elaborate further on the specific risks referenced.
Sources
- Reform’s Robert Jenrick ‘very confident’ £72m donations are ‘perfectly legal’ – UK politics live — The Guardian — World
EGazette summarizes reporting from multiple sources; follow the links for the originals.
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