Farage received £5m personal gift in 2024

Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK and member of Parliament for Clacton, received a 5 million pound personal gift from British investor Christopher Harborne in early 2024, months before announcing his candidacy for Parliament, according to disclosures reported last week.

Farage described the payment as an unconditional, non-political gift intended to ensure his personal security for the rest of his life. He cited past threats, including a firebombing of his home, as justification. "Believe you me, we've looked at this from every legal angle," Farage told broadcasters. "There is no obligation to declare something that is an unconditional, non-political, personal gift." The gift was not declared under UK campaign finance laws, as it predated his decision to stand for election.

Harborne, who lives in Thailand and holds a 12 percent stake in stablecoin issuer Tether, has separately donated 12 million pounds to Reform UK, including a 9 million pound contribution last year, the largest single political donation from a living individual in British history. He confirmed a legal document exists verifying the gift to Farage as irrevocable and provided without expectation of favors.