Convicted criminal crypto billionaire donates record £36 million to Reform UK

A CRYPTO billionaire has donated £36 million, the biggest donation in British political history, to Reform UK days after the police launched an investigation into the party's funding.

Ben Delo, who is a convicted criminal in the United States but was pardoned by president Donald Trump, said he donated the money to Nigel Farage's party amid their "recent troubles" as he wants a "fair fight" in the polls.

Last year, Delo donated £4m to the party but has now dwarfed the previous record for the largest sum given to a British political party, which was £10m to the Conservatives as a bequest in 2022.

The Metropolitan Police said it was looking into £500,000 given to Reform by Fiona Cottrell, the mother of long-standing Farage ally and convicted criminal, George Cottrell.

On Wednesday the force also launched a criminal investigation into allegations that Reform breached political donation rules by having polling paid for by an overseas company.

It comes after it was alleged that Reform took funding from a US firm for three polls it commissioned earlier this year, costing £32,500, following an undercover investigation by Verbatim that was broadcast on Channel 4. 

Farage is also facing a parliamentary investigation into a £5 million gift that he received from crypto-billionaire Christopher Harborne, who also donated £9m to Reform last year.