Ministers have announced that Andy Burnham's government will table amendments to legislation currently in the House of Lords within weeks. These amendments could introduce retrospective restrictions on political donors, including new residency requirements, potentially casting doubt on the legality of Reform's recent £72m donations.
The proposed changes would require individual donors to demonstrate an ongoing physical presence in the UK, aligning with residency requirements for other government policies such as tax status. This follows Reform's announcement of £36m donations each from cryptocurrency billionaires Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne, both previously based overseas.
Nigel Farage acknowledged on Monday that Reform could be affected by government moves to restrict foreign donors, although the party maintains the donations comply with current rules and those already voted on by MPs. Sharon Taylor, a Labour minister in the Lords, stated the government is considering strengthening residency requirements, including aligning the required length of time spent in the UK with broader government policy.
The government is also understood to be examining spending limits for parties, which are currently restricted to the year before a general election. A cross-government "task and finish" team has been established to consider threats to UK democracy, including political finance and illegitimate influence.