Farage Defends £5M Tether Billionaire Gift Amid Parliamentary Inquiry

Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, has defended a £5 million gift from cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne. The payment was made in June 2024 and became public knowledge nearly two years later through a Guardian investigation.

Farage stated that the gift is 'unconditional' and can be spent on anything he likes, including cars or houses. He characterized it as a private donation intended for his long-term personal security due to threats he has faced in his career.

The £5 million transfer to Farage was separate from any party donations, which total over £22 million from Harborne, making him one of the most significant political donors in recent British history. A formal inquiry by Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Daniel Greenberg is ongoing into whether Farage breached Commons rules by failing to register the gift after his election.