Reform UK's deputy leader, Richard Tice, has declined to state when two crypto billionaires, Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne, returned to the UK. The two individuals gave a combined £72m to the party.
Sir Philip Rycroft, who led a review into overseas donations, stated that under proposed rules, individuals resident in the UK for less than 12 months would face a limit on donations. The representation of the people bill, currently in parliament, sets a £100,000 cap for anyone not UK-resident for electoral purposes for at least a year from March 2026, applying retrospectively once enacted.
Mr Tice expressed confidence that Reform UK had complied with all existing and proposed donation laws. However, he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme he was not responsible for the donors' day-to-day diaries and could not confirm specific residency details. He added that everything Reform UK was doing was in accordance with current rules and the legislation going through parliament.
Schools minister Georgia Gould defended the retrospective application of the bill, stating on Sky News that it was deliberate to prevent a rush of donations before the legislation came into force. Mr Tice, however, criticised the retrospective plans on BBC One's Breakfast, calling it an action by "a socialist government that wants to retrospectively change the rules and regulations in order to protect themselves from a bit of competition."