Nigel Farage now says £5m from crypto billionaire was ‘reward’ for Brexit push

Nigel Farage has provided a new explanation for why he accepted a £5m gift from a Reform UK donor in the weeks before he announced he would stand in the last general election.

In an interview on Thursday, Farage said the money was a “reward” for campaigning for Brexit. Previously, he had said the gift was given for security purposes, to keep him “safe and secure” for the rest of his life.

Farage had also claimed the gift was “purely private” and “wasn’t political in any sense at all”.

Christopher Harborne, the crypto billionaire who gave Farage the money, said he had done so “to support Nigel’s security not just now but for the rest of his life”.

The apparent shift from Farage’s original account came on Thursday in an interview with the Sun. Asked about the gift, he said: “And this was given to me on an unconditional basis, completely unconditional basis. But frankly, it was given as a reward for campaigning for Brexit for 27 years.”

Farage said it had no impact on his decision to return to public life. Asked whether “he who pays the piper picks the tune”, the Reform leader said: “I can’t be bought by anybody.”

He dismissed reports that he had made nearly £2m on top of his parliamentary salary since becoming an MP. “No one cares. They care if you’re a crook, which I’m not and never have been. But the fact that I made a few quid doing things, this doesn’t worry people at all,” he said.

The £5m given to Farage, first revealed by the Guardian, has prompted a formal investigation by the parliamentary standards commissioner, which will examine whether or not the gift ought to have been declared.

The matter is being investigated under rule 5 of the code of conduct for MPs. This requires MPs to “fulfil conscientiously” the requirements to register their interests. MPs are required to, within one month of their election, declare any financial interests and benefits from the 12 months before they won their seats.

Farage said he was unconcerned by the investigation by the parliamentary authorities and another potential inquiry by the Electoral Commission into the £5m. “It’s got nothing to do with Electoral Commission whatsoever,” he said. “I’m not the least bit concerned.”

The change in position came after it was reported that Farage bought a house in cash for £1.4m in May 2024. According to documents reported by Sky News and seen by the Guardian, the purchase was made within weeks of him receiving the gift from Harborne.

Labour has called on the Reform leader to give a full explanation of what the £5m was used to pay for. Anna Turley, the chair of the Labour party, said: “Nigel Farage has repeatedly dodged questions on his multimillion-pound ‘gift’. Now we can see why – this totally stinks. Farage must urgently come clean with the public as to what this £5m was used for and why he failed to declare it.

“The facts are simple. Farage took £5m from a crypto billionaire, tried to cover it up, and bought an expensive house after taking the money. Not only that, he promised to cut taxes on crypto transactions. It’s open and shut conflict of interest.”

Asked about the purchase of the property, a Reform UK spokesperson said: “The relevant chronology is straightforward. The offer and purchase process for the property commenced before the gift. Mr Farage had already passed proof of funds and the relevant checks before receiving the gift. The purchase was therefore already proceeding independently of it.”