Nigel Farage Under Investigation for Receiving $6.7 Million Gift from Tether Billionaire

According to a report by The Guardian, Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, received a substantial gift of approximately £5 million (equivalent to $6.7 million) from Christopher Harborne, a billionaire with ties to the cryptocurrency company Tether, prior to announcing his candidacy for the Clacton seat in 2024. The gift has sparked controversy, with the Conservative party referring Farage to the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner and Labour accusing him of violating House of Commons rules. Farage has confirmed the gift, stating it was intended to ensure his safety and security following incidents such as a milkshake attack in 2019 and a firebomb attack on his home last year. Harborne, who has a 12% stake in Tether, made the payment in 2024, before Farage's election to the Clacton seat. A spokesperson for Reform UK has defended the gift, describing it as a 'personal unconditional gift' that was made before Farage's election and is unrelated to his decision to run for office. The Commons code of conduct requires new MPs to disclose benefits received in the 12 months preceding their election, and Reform UK is confident that everything has been declared in accordance with the rules. However, the Conservative party has written to the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner, requesting an examination into whether any of the funds were used to support political activities rather than security. The issue has also raised concerns about cryptocurrency donations in UK politics, with Harborne having made a significant donation to Reform UK and another crypto donor, Ben Delo, having given £4 million to the party. In response to these concerns, the UK government has imposed a moratorium on crypto donations to political parties, citing warnings that digital assets could be used to channel foreign money into UK politics.