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2 private donations of £36m each to one political party - is this the future of democracy in a world at the mercy of tech bros?

285 replies

IwantToRetire · 13/09/2026 01:38

Not particularly interested in discussing Reform. As anyone who wants to do that could set up a thread just like there is one about the Greens.

Of course the money could just be frittered away, but do these donations create an imbalance in terms of other parties having a voice, not just now, but when there is the next General Election.

For info (and there may be others) short bios about each man who has donated. Although, if as stated, they don't expect to decide party policy, maybe their personal history doesn't matter.

https://news.sky.com/story/ben-delo-and-christopher-harborne-who-are-reform-uks-two-mega-donors-13584792

Edited to add: I would ask this question if such donations had been made to any other Party, whether Labour, Tory, Greens etc..

OP posts:
BIossomtoes · 15/09/2026 09:17

LuckyHazelFox · 15/09/2026 09:16

As is watching women voting for a party that puts women second.

There are women voting for a party that condones assaulting them.

MelissaLovedMantari · 15/09/2026 09:17

LuckyHazelFox · 15/09/2026 09:16

As is watching women voting for a party that puts women second.

Yes, Reform certainly does that already. Its leader cheers on the assault of women who don't agree with him for a start.

LuckyHazelFox · 15/09/2026 09:17

EasternStandard · 15/09/2026 09:16

It’s incredible to see their political self survival and emotion override any sense re wanting wealth creators and higher tax payers here.

That's true. So much for putting the country's interests first.

EasternStandard · 15/09/2026 09:16

Pineneedlesincarpet · 15/09/2026 09:14

Watching Labour traduce extremely high tax payers is like watching turkeys voting for Christmas.

It’s incredible to see their political self survival and emotion override any sense re wanting wealth creators and higher tax payers here.

BIossomtoes · 15/09/2026 09:16

Pineneedlesincarpet · 15/09/2026 09:14

Watching Labour traduce extremely high tax payers is like watching turkeys voting for Christmas.

How original.

LuckyHazelFox · 15/09/2026 09:16

Pineneedlesincarpet · 15/09/2026 09:14

Watching Labour traduce extremely high tax payers is like watching turkeys voting for Christmas.

As is watching women voting for a party that puts women second.

Pineneedlesincarpet · 15/09/2026 09:14

MargoLivebetter · 15/09/2026 09:01

This is one of my key objections. I think Nige is using the "frustrations of many" to grab power. He will then serve his funding overlords, whose interests do not align with the frustrations of the many! It is like watching turkeys vote for Christmas.

Watching Labour traduce extremely high tax payers is like watching turkeys voting for Christmas.

LuckyHazelFox · 15/09/2026 09:13

HotGrapefruit · 15/09/2026 08:55

People don't seem to understand that Reform will do whatever these billionaires want them to do. Total deregulation of the financial sector and the energy sector.

Your pensions are fucked if Reform get in. Our economy will be absolutely shot to pieces. We will be reliant on overseas oil and gas and plunged into blackouts as the (already tenuous) energy sector fails.

If you think this has anything to do with democracy, you are willfully blind.

You think Labour's strings aren't pulled?

Pineneedlesincarpet · 15/09/2026 09:13

MargoLivebetter · 15/09/2026 09:11

@LuckyHazelFox and @Pineneedlesincarpet what do you think Reform will do to solve all our economic woes?

Im a Conservative voter. I just don't approve of Labour's gerrymandering and the majority of the government's actions. I don't think Reform would be worse. At least they would sort out the number one priority currently of the British people which is immigration.

BIossomtoes · 15/09/2026 09:11

LuckyHazelFox · 15/09/2026 09:09

No as we know from Labour terms in government.

And Tory ones.

Pineneedlesincarpet · 15/09/2026 09:11

MelissaLovedMantari · 15/09/2026 09:08

Nothing lasts forever.

Well that's true...the money has run out already due to Labour's mad profligacy and we can't borrow much more due to the moron premium that has been slapped on us.

MargoLivebetter · 15/09/2026 09:11

@LuckyHazelFox and @Pineneedlesincarpet what do you think Reform will do to solve all our economic woes?

BIossomtoes · 15/09/2026 09:10

Pineneedlesincarpet · 15/09/2026 08:50

They will have contributed more tax to this country than all of us put together.

How does that work when they haven’t lived here for years?

EasternStandard · 15/09/2026 09:10

MargoLivebetter · 15/09/2026 08:42

In April Ben Delo said that he was considering moving back to the UK. When did that happen? I understand that Harborne has also purportedly moved back but in June on official documents his address was still noted as overseas. So when did Harborne move back?

If Labour are confident they didn’t move here in time they wouldn’t be panicking as much and now swinging to caps or other ways to disallow it.

I just heard a clip from Rayner with the ‘sugar daddies’ line, my god how amateur are these people.

Just recently Burnham did an article trying to claim Labour want to attract wealth creators. That’s gone out the window because Reform really does make them jump.

LuckyHazelFox · 15/09/2026 09:09

MelissaLovedMantari · 15/09/2026 09:08

Nothing lasts forever.

No as we know from Labour terms in government.

MelissaLovedMantari · 15/09/2026 09:09

LuckyHazelFox · 15/09/2026 09:07

When are Labour supporters going to wake up?

What is it you want them to wake up to?

LuckyHazelFox · 15/09/2026 09:08

Pineneedlesincarpet · 15/09/2026 09:06

The economy is stuffed. Labour are making it worse. By any metric we are heading for a big crash. Pensions will be decimated.

We have the most expensive power in any advanced economy due to Ed Milliband's ideology.

We have our own oil and gas and don't need to rely on importing expensive fuel.

Reform aren't in government. The most destructive party are.

Well said 👏

MelissaLovedMantari · 15/09/2026 09:08

LuckyHazelFox · 15/09/2026 08:56

You call it hate stirring and peddling, I call it representing the frustrations of many. Whatever you think, it's not going to go away.

Nothing lasts forever.

LuckyHazelFox · 15/09/2026 09:07

MelissaLovedMantari · 15/09/2026 09:06

Absolutely. At the end of his latest hate-filled video the words Wake Up appear. One day his supporters might do so. 🤞

When are Labour supporters going to wake up?

Pineneedlesincarpet · 15/09/2026 09:06

HotGrapefruit · 15/09/2026 09:02

What are you talking about? Do you have a private pension? Do you like switching the lights on?

These sectors are already planning for worst-case scenarios at the highest levels. But it's basically going to be game over with things hanging by a string. As a country, we will not recover from our economy and energy systems being deregulated.

Up to 90% of our energy has been green energy this year. Reform will scrap all of those contracts and projects. We will be entirely reliant on the interests of overseas billionaires.

The economy is stuffed. Labour are making it worse. By any metric we are heading for a big crash. Pensions will be decimated.

We have the most expensive power in any advanced economy due to Ed Milliband's ideology.

We have our own oil and gas and don't need to rely on importing expensive fuel.

Reform aren't in government. The most destructive party are.

MelissaLovedMantari · 15/09/2026 09:06

MargoLivebetter · 15/09/2026 09:01

This is one of my key objections. I think Nige is using the "frustrations of many" to grab power. He will then serve his funding overlords, whose interests do not align with the frustrations of the many! It is like watching turkeys vote for Christmas.

Absolutely. At the end of his latest hate-filled video the words Wake Up appear. One day his supporters might do so. 🤞

EasternStandard · 15/09/2026 09:05

Pineneedlesincarpet · 15/09/2026 08:50

They will have contributed more tax to this country than all of us put together.

Labour couldn’t decide if they wanted to attract wealth creators or vilify them. It looks like Reform caused them jump to the latter.

Even the business secretary is forgetting his role with hyperbolic nonsense.

HotGrapefruit · 15/09/2026 09:02

Pineneedlesincarpet · 15/09/2026 08:59

Because its going so very well with Labour in all those areas

What are you talking about? Do you have a private pension? Do you like switching the lights on?

These sectors are already planning for worst-case scenarios at the highest levels. But it's basically going to be game over with things hanging by a string. As a country, we will not recover from our economy and energy systems being deregulated.

Up to 90% of our energy has been green energy this year. Reform will scrap all of those contracts and projects. We will be entirely reliant on the interests of overseas billionaires.

MargoLivebetter · 15/09/2026 09:01

LuckyHazelFox · 15/09/2026 08:56

You call it hate stirring and peddling, I call it representing the frustrations of many. Whatever you think, it's not going to go away.

This is one of my key objections. I think Nige is using the "frustrations of many" to grab power. He will then serve his funding overlords, whose interests do not align with the frustrations of the many! It is like watching turkeys vote for Christmas.

Pineneedlesincarpet · 15/09/2026 08:59

HotGrapefruit · 15/09/2026 08:55

People don't seem to understand that Reform will do whatever these billionaires want them to do. Total deregulation of the financial sector and the energy sector.

Your pensions are fucked if Reform get in. Our economy will be absolutely shot to pieces. We will be reliant on overseas oil and gas and plunged into blackouts as the (already tenuous) energy sector fails.

If you think this has anything to do with democracy, you are willfully blind.

Because its going so very well with Labour in all those areas