The Guardian view on Reform UK: crypto billionaires must be stopped from undermining democracy

The staggering sums gifted to Reform UK over the weekend have transformed the context for the representation of the people bill making its way through parliament. The announcement of two £36m donations from Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne, both crypto billionaires who have lived abroad, makes Andy Burnham’s decision not to impose a limit on political donations – a move he supported before becoming prime minister – look even more misguided. Fortunately the House of Lords still has the chance to amend the bill. It should take it by imposing meaningful limits on both political donations and party spending.

It is unclear whether either man meets the criteria set out in the Rycroft review into foreign influence in politics. It set a maximum of £100,000 per annum for people who have not been in the UK for at least a year. Mr Delo previously lived in Hong Kong while Mr Harborne is based partly in Thailand; Nigel Farage said on Monday that he does not know the details of their movements. While ministers will view the prospect of a legal fight over eligibility with trepidation, they must do what it takes to ensure rules are met.

Reform UK’s support has fallen since a year ago, when polls showed it ahead of Labour, and again since May when it won more than 1,400 seats in local elections. After a summer dominated by investigations of its finances, and with the police widening their inquiries to include footage, aired on Channel 4, of officials apparently discussing ways to get around electoral law, Nigel Farage’s unfavourability rating has hit a 10-year high. But while this reversal of fortune has brought relief to opponents, there is no room for complacency. In 2024, 34% of votes secured a huge majority for Labour. The danger of a Farage premiership and all that it could mean for UK politics and civil society remains real.