36 is clearly the magic number.

A record-breaking £36 million donation to Reform announced last night from Ben Delo, the British-born and bred cryptocurrency billionaire, has been matched today by another donation for the same amount by Christopher Harborne, the British businessman and tech investor. The donations will be a massive shot in the arm for Farage’s party.

It’s worth taking a moment to consider just what lengths Labour have gone to to try to stop this happening. They’re introducing a £100,000 annual cap on donations from people living overseas and a one-year waiting period before returnees can escape the cap, not to mention a moratorium on all political donations in cryptoassets. All are likely to leave Labour’s funds largely untouched but risked hammering Reform’s donations. And a more expansive domestic cap, which would have hit Labour too, was dropped only after the unions objected.

A more expansive domestic cap, which would have hit Labour too, was dropped only after the unions objected.

A more expansive domestic cap, which would have hit Labour too, was dropped only after the unions objected.

In the face of all these attempts to rewrite the rules, Reform’s two biggest donors have given their money – meant as £1 million every month each until the expected general election in 2029 – now as an upfront lump sum.

There’s no........

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