Ex-Tory donor Christopher Harborne hands Reform UK record-busting £9million in huge boost to Nigel Farage

The sum is also the biggest single donation made by a living donor to a UK political party.

Mr Harborne, who is a highly-regarded aviation entrepreneur and founder of AML Global, had spent almost two decades donating to the Conservative Party.

He handed over £1.8million between 2003 and 2022, giving Boris Johnson £1million after the ex-Prime Minister left No10.

However, the Cambridge graduate temporarily switched his support to the Brexit Party in 2019 and continued to support the right-wing party in 2020.

Alongside his aviation fuel company, Mr Harborne is an investor in Tether, the issuer of the biggest stablecoin, and its sister crypto exchange Bitfinex.

He is also the largest shareholder in in British defence company Qinetiq.

Mr Harborne's latest cash injection takes Reform UK's overall donations up to £10.3million in the third quarter of 2025.

Reform UK's treasurer Nick Candy coughed up an additional £500,000, with investor William Alan McIntosh putting in £100,000.

Meanwhile, the Tory Party managed to rake in £4.5million in the third quarter of the year.

Labour's donations over the same period stood at just £1.9million, with Sir Keir Starmer relying heavily on Unite and GMB.

While no other living donor has managed to match the size of Mr Harborne’s latest gift, Lord John Sainsbury left the Tories £10million in his will in 2022.

Reform UK's fundraising blitz comes as polls continue to fuel momentum for Mr Farage ahead of the next general election.

Mr Farage received just over £10million when he was preparing for the 2019 General Election as leader of the Brexit Party.

In comparison, Mr Johnson's Tories amassed a campaign war chest of more than £50million.

The Brexit Party also trailed both Labour and the Liberal Democrats, with both parties receiving more than £15million in 2019.

Following Sir Keir's victory in the 2020 Labour leadership race, the Tory Party appeared to gradually lose its grip in the battle for donations.

Labour received around £35million in 2024, giving Sir Keir a healthy lead compared to £28million for the Tories.

The Liberal Democrats ended the year just shy of £10million, putting Sir Ed Davey significantly ahead of Reform UK.

Reform UK received a mere £3million, prompting Mr Farage to unveil Mr Candy as his fundraising chief.

Following Mr Harborne's donation, Reform UK's deputy leader Richard Tice told GB News: "That's an extraordinary declaration of faith in Nigel's leadership, in Reform, in our potential and in our growth."

Mr Tice, who was bankrolling Reform UK when he served as party leader, added: "Every political party, is always out fundraising and that could help us hugely over the coming years.

"That would be a fantastic base level of funding to help us to grow and succeed, absolutely."