Reform’s Robert Jenrick ‘very confident’ £72m donations are ‘perfectly legal’ – as it happened

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Jenrick says he is 'very confident' donations are 'perfectly legal'

Earlier, Jenrick on Sky defended the donations saying he was “very confident” they’re “perfectly legal”.

When pressed on whether Reform would return the donations if they were found to violate new law: “Who knows? I mean, if people try and do something retrospectively, then maybe.”

To recap: In the past 48 hours, Reform UK has received a staggering sum of £72m from two crypto billionaires, the largest single donations in British political history.

Christopher Harborne’s £36m donation, which he announced in the Telegraph newspaper yesterday, matches that given by another cryptocurrency investor Ben Delo on Friday.

We’ll draw the politics blog to a close for now. Here’s a recap of the donations row around Reform UK.

• \n Reform spokesman Robert Jenrick insisted that the two £36m-a-piece donations from British crypto-billionaires are “perfectly legal’ and “entirely in line with the law as it is and with the law in the future”.
• \n It comes amid speculation on the exact timing and circumstances of when investors Christopher Harborne and Ben Delo gave the money to the anti-immigration party, as both had been living outside of the UK at least until this year.
• \n The Labour government currently has a bill in parliament, aimed at stopping foreign influence in UK politics, that would limit donations from British expats who’ve been back in the country for less than a year.
• \n Housing Secretary Angela Rayner warned that those law would apply retrospectively – potentially applying to the Reform donations – and so if the funds fell afoul of the new law, the party would have to return the money.
• \n Rayner said the huge donations had put the spotlight on mega-wealthy individuals and “who is funding politics” in the UK.

The U.S. president on his visit to Ireland has just been asked about the UK PM’s response to his remarks that he would “love” to see a united Ireland.\n “I don’t want to cause any problems, but I will tell you, I’d love to see it unified,” Trump had told reporters on Saturday in Dublin while sitting next to the Irish PM.\n “Now the UK will have something to say about it ... but I think it ​would be a great thing,” he’d said.\n Burnham said weeks ago that a referendum on Northern Ireland leaving the UK is “off the table”- a position reaffirmed by Downing Street yesterday.\n But just now, Trump said “Everybody says that. And then things happen.”\n “By the way, I’ve spoken to him. Think he’s a very nice guy, tends to be on the liberal side unfortunately.”\n Then he went on to say that he believed Burnham was going to be “drilling in the North Sea, that’s my impression.”

Rayner was also asked earlier on the BBC about the surge in anti-migrant protests, including those yesterday in Portsmouth, Tamworth and Glasgow where face coverings were banned.

Police brought in the restriction after the September 5-6 weekend where hundreds of masked, black-clad men blocked entry to the Port of Dover and obstructed roads in Portsmouth in menacing scenes.

“We’ve been really clear that there is a right to protest in this country, but it doesn’t give you a right to intimidate and act unlawfully… We’ve seen a surge of divisiveness and that has made communities feel more vulnerable and that is not acceptable,” Rayner said.

She also described scenes earlier this week at a Portsmouth hotel as “completely unacceptable”. On Tuesday night, roughly 40 masked men had gathered outside the hotel, shouting slogans and banging on doors in the mistaken belief that a Pakistani youth cricket team staying there were newly arrived asylum seekers.

“That’s completely unacceptable. That’s intimidatory behaviour,” said Rayner. \n “And I would say, hundreds of people walking down the streets, all dressed in black, with black balaclavas on, is intimidatory and crosses the line.”

At yesterday’s protests in Portsmouth police tried to keep apart the two groups of protesters, with marchers chanting “stop the boats” facing off with demonstrators holding “stop the far right” and “stand up to racism” signs.

Elsewhere today the former chancellor George Osborne said Britain’s economy had “fallen off a cliff” since Brexit and that rejoining the European Union’s customs union would be the fastest route to recovery.

You can read more on that here

While talking to the media this morning Angela Rayner also admitted that there was only a slim chance government will meet target of building 1.5m home.

Labour’s manifesto pledge to build 1.5m houses by the next election was a “stretch target”, the communities secretary added, but said it was not being ditched and she was “definitely not giving up”.

My colleague Jessica Elgot has her reported in detail here:

Let’s put this £72m weekend windfall for Reform in context – not only the largest single donations to a UK political party ever, but also the equivalent essentially of an entire year of political donations in the lead-up to a general election.

A total of £79m was donated to UK political parties in 2023, according to the Electoral Commission. A further £84m was given in 2024, the election year. \n This is just what’s been publicly logged. Reform is also facing allegations it has tried to hide foreign donations. It denies any wrongdoing.\n The data also shows how much has been donated to parties since the 2024 vote (not reflecting Reform’s latest endowments.)July 2024- June 2026 donations:\n - Tories: £37m\n - Reform: £35m\n - Labour: £21m\n - Lib Dems: 17m\n - Greens: £1.9m

Reform has been describing these crypto billionaire donations – again the largest single gift to a British political party – as being from patriotic businessmen who “simply support our agenda”.Pressed by Laura Kuennsberg on the BBC: “And part of your agenda is being very pro cryptocurrency, which is their business?”\n Jenrick replies, “Um, not really”, saying first that he wants “proper” regulation of the digital currency which is a bit of a “Wild West”, and then advancing to the idea of gains for the UK in adopting crypto.\n Throughout this morning, he’s been referring to himself as Reform Shadow Chancellor.

“Is there an economic opportunity for the UK from crypto? Yes, and I want, as Reform Shadow Chancellor of UK, to seize that so we can compete with Dubai and the United States.”

“But that’s not what we’re doing here with these donations.”\n Reform has said if it wins government, it would raise a law to boost adoption of crypto, including through cutting tax on digital assets. They would also create a bitcoin reserve fund at the Bank of England.

Earlier, Jenrick on Sky defended the donations saying he was “very confident” they’re “perfectly legal”.

When pressed on whether Reform would return the donations if they were found to violate new law: “Who knows? I mean, if people try and do something retrospectively, then maybe.”

To recap: In the past 48 hours, Reform UK has received a staggering sum of £72m from two crypto billionaires, the largest single donations in British political history. \n Christopher Harborne’s £36m donation, which he announced in the Telegraph newspaper yesterday, matches that given by another cryptocurrency investor Ben Delo on Friday.

Meanwhile on the BBC, the government’s Angela Rayner says the huge sums show it’s all about “who is funding politics and if there are few individuals who fund power to power… in a democracy that is a concern.”\n Parliament is currently looking at new laws to cap foreign donations – Rayner again stresses Labour’s line that this restriction when it comes in should apply restrospectively.

Sky’s just broadcast an interview with Jenrick who describes the bonanza donations as a “breakthrough moment” for Reform “from two patriotic businessmen”.

(A reminder that Harborne has lived outside of the UK for years and is based in Thailand, and Delo until recently, was living in Hong Kong and was convicted of violating the US Bank Secrecy Act before being pardoned by Trump last year).\n Jenrick says the 2 x £36m donations “enables us to be battle ready for the election and to prepare for government.”\n He denies that the huge cheques mean that Reform is “in hoc” with the crypto billionaires, and says it wouldn’t buy them peerage or any other formal favours.

Good morning and welcome to the Guardian’s politics live blog in what is a fairly tumultuous period in electoral financing. \n To recap: In the past 48 hours, Reform UK has received a staggering sum of £72m from two crypto billionaires, the largest single donations in British political history. \n Christopher Harborne’s £36m donation, which he announced in the Telegraph newspaper yesterday, matches that given by another cryptocurrency investor Ben Delo on Friday.

The huge injection into Reform’s coffers obviously help fund the anti-immigration party’s operations leading into the next general election, to be held by 2029. But it has also further muddied the reputation around the party’s finances and who it says it serves. Reform has pledged more crypto-friendly policies i.e. greater adoption of the unregulated currency across the UK if the party were to come into power.

Reform’s economics spokesman Robert Jenrick is on Sky and the BBC this morning to address questions over the massive donations and allegations it has sought to circumvent electoral law to receive foreign donations.\n There are also calls now across the political spectrum for a cap on donations from big-moneyed donors in the UK, a restriction that currently only applies to foreign donors.

Key events

• 2h agoSummary
• 3h agoTrump asked about Ireland comments, calls Burnham 'a very nice guy'
• 3h agoRayner: 'Hundreds of people in black, with balaclavas, is intimidatory and crosses the line'
• 4h agoGeorge Osborne calls for UK to rejoin EU customs union and boost trade
• 4h agoOnly slim chance target of building 1.5m homes in England will be met, minister says
• 5h ago£72m Reform injection equivalent to entire year of political donations
• 6h agoJenrick says there's 'economic opportunity' for UK from crypto
• 8h agoJenrick says he is 'very confident' donations are 'perfectly legal'
• 8h agoRayner says parliament is looking into new laws on donation caps that could apply retrospectively
• 8h agoJenrick says donations 'breakthrough moment' for party
• 9h agoJenrick faces questions over record Reform donations

Summary

We’ll draw the politics blog to a close for now. Here’s a recap of the donations row around Reform UK.

• Reform spokesman Robert Jenrick insisted that the two £36m-a-piece donations from British crypto-billionaires are “perfectly legal’ and “entirely in line with the law as it is and with the law in the future”.
• It comes amid speculation on the exact timing and circumstances of when investors Christopher Harborne and Ben Delo gave the money to the anti-immigration party, as both had been living outside of the UK at least until this year.
• The Labour government currently has a bill in parliament, aimed at stopping foreign influence in UK politics, that would limit donations from British expats who’ve been back in the country for less than a year.
• Housing Secretary Angela Rayner warned that those law would apply retrospectively – potentially applying to the Reform donations – and so if the funds fell afoul of the new law, the party would have to return the money.
• Rayner said the huge donations had put the spotlight on mega-wealthy individuals and “who is funding politics” in the UK.

Some political commentators say Reform will be laughing all the way to the bank with these earth-shatteringly large endowments.

They’ll have the money now to majorly expand their electoral machine: place candidates in every seat, hire campaign staff to manage the races, print the leaflets, rent the billboards, blanket Instagram and TikTok feeds etc.

But my colleague Peter Walker also points out some downsides for Reform in his analysis linked below.

What are the downsides to receiving £72 million?

“The first is that every time Farage presents Reform as the voice of ordinary Britons, his opponents can argue it is in reality the plaything of people who are wealthy and disconnected from everyday life to a degree almost unimaginable to most voters.

Delo and Harborne are strikingly similar: cryptocurrency billionaires who are either based overseas – Harborne in Thailand, although he is electorally registered in the UK – or formerly so – Delo recently returned to the UK from Hong Kong.

“The second, and arguably bigger, concern for Reform is the renewed focus this places on Farage’s own finances, and the perceived cloud of sleaze which has in recent months become more dense around him and the party.”

Speaking of the PM, should note that Andy Burnham this afternoon has just completed a half marathon- the Great North Run from Newcastle to South Shields – to raise funds for homeless charity Changing Lives.

Prime minister Andy Burnham, poses for pictures on the start line before taking part in the AJ Bell Great North Run on 13 September 2026. Photograph: Ian Forsyth/Getty Images

He donated 15% of his first month salary to the group and has pledged further monthly contributions.

Ending rough sleeping has been a priority for Burnham who made it his first pledge upon entering office in July. Last month he also unveiled a national plan to get people off the streets by Christmas.

Trump asked about Ireland comments, calls Burnham 'a very nice guy'

The U.S. president on his visit to Ireland has just been asked about the UK PM’s response to his remarks that he would “love” to see a united Ireland.

“I don’t want to cause any problems, but I will tell you, I’d love to see it unified,” Trump had told reporters on Saturday in Dublin while sitting next to the Irish PM.

“Now the UK will have something to say about it ... but I think it ​would be a great thing,” he’d said.

Burnham said weeks ago that a referendum on Northern Ireland leaving the UK is “off the table”- a position reaffirmed by Downing Street yesterday.

But just now, Trump said “Everybody says that. And then things happen.”

“By the way, I’ve spoken to him. Think he’s a very nice guy, tends to be on the liberal side unfortunately.”

Then he went on to say that he believed Burnham was going to be “drilling in the North Sea, that’s my impression.”

Rayner: 'Hundreds of people in black, with balaclavas, is intimidatory and crosses the line'

Rayner was also asked earlier on the BBC about the surge in anti-migrant protests, including those yesterday in Portsmouth, Tamworth and Glasgow where face coverings were banned.

Police brought in the restriction after the September 5-6 weekend where hundreds of masked, black-clad men blocked entry to the Port of Dover and obstructed roads in Portsmouth in menacing scenes.

“We’ve been really clear that there is a right to protest in this country, but it doesn’t give you a right to intimidate and act unlawfully… We’ve seen a surge of divisiveness and that has made communities feel more vulnerable and that is not acceptable,” Rayner said.

She also described scenes earlier this week at a Portsmouth hotel as “completely unacceptable”. On Tuesday night, roughly 40 masked men had gathered outside the hotel, shouting slogans and banging on doors in the mistaken belief that a Pakistani youth cricket team staying there were newly arrived asylum seekers.

“That’s completely unacceptable. That’s intimidatory behaviour,” said Rayner.

“And I would say, hundreds of people walking down the streets, all dressed in black, with black balaclavas on, is intimidatory and crosses the line.”

At yesterday’s protests in Portsmouth police tried to keep apart the two groups of protesters, with marchers chanting “stop the boats” facing off with demonstrators holding “stop the far right” and “stand up to racism” signs.

Protesters from a group known as South Coast Patriots take part in a march against immigration in Portsmouth against a counter-protest by Stand Up to Racism, in Portsmouth, Britain, September 12, 2026. REUTERS/Isabel Infantes Photograph: Isabel Infantes/Reuters

As warnings surrounding the threats of AI continue to make headlines this weekend my colleague Dan Milmo has written a less pessimistic piece on the topic in his feature from the AI bootcamps aimed at addressing UK youth unemployment.

The UK government is trying to address two of the greatest challenges facing the national economy: AI and youth unemployment and a pilot project in Preston comes with apprenticeship offer for Neets at end of three-week course.

You can read more on it here:

George Osborne calls for UK to rejoin EU customs union and boost trade

Elsewhere today the former chancellor George Osborne said Britain’s economy had “fallen off a cliff” since Brexit and that rejoining the European Union’s customs union would be the fastest route to recovery.

You can read more on that here

Only slim chance target of building 1.5m homes in England will be met, minister says

While talking to the media this morning Angela Rayner also admitted that there was only a slim chance government will meet target of building 1.5m home.

Labour’s manifesto pledge to build 1.5m houses by the next election was a “stretch target”, the communities secretary added, but said it was not being ditched and she was “definitely not giving up”.

My colleague Jessica Elgot has her reported in detail here:

Angela Rayner said she was pleased AI companies are “talking about the threats as well as the opportunities” after Elon Musk and Sam Altman backed a call for the industry to slow down development, PA reports.

It comes after Anthropic boss Dario Amodei said he was concerned that since this summer, AI has been “advancing drastically faster”.

Given the rate of development, Mr Amodei is worried that within six to 12 months, AI could be capable of leading a swarm that could take over the entire internet.

The entrepreneur, whose company is behind the AI assistant Claude, shared a three-part plan for building the technology at a “balanced rate”.

Rayner told Sky News: “I’m pleased that these companies are also talking about the threats as well as the opportunities that AI presents to us, and we have to work with our international partners, which is what we’re doing.”

Describing the UK as “world leaders” in AI security, the communities and housing secretary added: “We have put robust systems in place here in the UK, like the AI Security Institute, to make sure we’re building resilience so that we get the benefit as well as really understand and protect against any risk.”

Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat told Sky News: “The speed of change is also extraordinary, and this is where actually government can enable a conversation, but we simply do not have the speed to keep up with the advances that are happening.

“And the reality is, we can’t pass laws against mathematics.

“These are mathematical equations that are being developed in greater and greater speed, and we need to maintain that ability to protect ourselves.”

£72m Reform injection equivalent to entire year of political donations

Let’s put this £72m weekend windfall for Reform in context – not only the largest single donations to a UK political party ever, but also the equivalent essentially of an entire year of political donations in the lead-up to a general election.

A total of £79m was donated to UK political parties in 2023, according to the Electoral Commission. A further £84m was given in 2024, the election year.

This is just what’s been publicly logged. Reform is also facing allegations it has tried to hide foreign donations. It denies any wrongdoing.

The data also shows how much has been donated to parties since the 2024 vote (not reflecting Reform’s latest endowments.)

July 2024- June 2026 donations: - Tories: £37m - Reform: £35m - Labour: £21m - Lib Dems: 17m - Greens: £1.9m