Reform UK central funds paid for a security team and two cars for Nigel Farage, costing more than £150,000 in the past year. This arrangement contradicts Farage’s claim that a £5m gift from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne would cover his security needs. Harborne said the money was intended "to support Nigel’s security not just now but for the rest of his life". Farage initially told the press, "This money was given to me so that I would be safe and secure for the rest of my life."
Contradictory accounts of the £5m gift
Farage refused a taxpayer-funded security package consisting of a bodyguard, a driver, and a car, which the Home Office offered following a 2025 review. He used taxpayer-funded security until the autumn of 2025. A Reform source said the current spending is "completely at odds with the narrative he’s tried to sell the public". Zia Yusuf, Reform’s spokesperson for home affairs, complained that the party had to seek fresh support from donors in October 2025 to meet these costs.
The funding details involve several figures:
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total gift amount | £5m |
| Annual security cost | Over £150,000 |
| Additional donor amounts | £36m each from Ben Delo |
Farage has provided varying explanations for the money, suggesting it could be spent on Ferraris or as a reward for Brexit. Bridget Phillipson, the Labour party chair, said Farage’s excuses over the secret gift have fallen apart. A Conservative party spokesperson added that the public deserves a straight answer regarding his "fishy bung" from an overseas billionaire.
Party responses and internal friction
Reform UK declined to say if Farage spent any of the £5m on security or why he rejected the taxpayer offer. A spokesperson for Reform UK stated, "As a standard practice, we do not comment on security matters." The party maintains a distinction between security for political activities and longer-term personal needs. Dan Jukes, a former aide who has since stood down, previously suggested that claiming the money was for anything other than security was a PR mistake.
