UK — Ministers will launch a crackdown on large political donations on Monday, announcing measures to make political funding more transparent. These measures will include restrictions on donations from foreign-based benefactors and will apply a £100,000 cap on donations to individuals who have moved to the UK from abroad for a year after their relocation.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage received benefits from crypto entrepreneur George Cottrell before the general election. The government plans to introduce new checks to assess the legitimacy of companies making political donations by measuring their profit and revenues. Additionally, disclosure requirements for political candidates will be introduced for the first time, applying to the period immediately before they became a candidate. Candidates will have to declare any donation above £2,230.

Communities Secretary Steve Reed commented on the new rules, stating, "British democracy is not for sale. These tough new rules will shut down dodgy funding, stop foreign money influencing our elections and keep our democracy strong." The package of changes will be introduced later this month as amendments to the Representation of the People Bill.

The Sunday Times reported that Mr. Farage accepted previously undisclosed benefits from Mr. Cottrell before he became an MP. These benefits included staff members operating his social media team, security services, and the use of a mansion near Buckingham Palace. Reform UK stated that gifts given to Mr. Farage were unrelated to his political activities and therefore did not require disclosure.

Richard Jenrick, a Reform UK Official, confirmed that George Cottrell paid for staff to manage Mr. Farage's social media presence in 2024. "Yes, absolutely," Jenrick said. He also acknowledged that Mr. Farage stayed in Mr. Cottrell's house "a couple of times" and accepted private security paid for by him. Jenrick said in a podcast interview: "You're allowed to accept a gift, support, whatever you want to call it, from a personal friend before you're a member of parliament, if it's in a purely personal capacity."

Mr. Farage registered separate donations from Mr. Cottrell: £9,253 for a trip to Belgium in April 2024, and £15,276 for a US domestic flight provided in December 2024. The parliamentary standards commissioner, Daniel Greenberg, is investigating a £5 million donation to Mr. Farage from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne. The Liberal Democrats have written to Mr. Greenberg, urging an investigation into the donations from Mr. Cottrell alongside the inquiry into Mr. Harborne's donation.