Nigel Farage's Reform UK party is facing scrutiny over its financial ties to billionaire donor Christopher Harborne, whose extensive business interests span the global arms industry and military contracts. A Guardian investigation has found that the Thailand-based tycoon, who has funded roughly two-thirds of Reform's donations and gave Farage an undeclared £5m gift now under scrutiny from the parliamentary standards watchdog, works closely with numerous former army officers, air force pilots and intelligence figures across his commercial network. This raises questions of a possible conflict of interest, given that decisions on defence spending are among the biggest issues facing UK political leaders, and Farage has already lobbied on Harborne's behalf over cryptocurrency policy.

Harborne, described by his lawyers as "intensely private", built part of his fortune in crypto but also holds significant military-linked assets, including a stake in a jet fuel venture supplying US military operations and a majority shareholding in a former UK military research arm now developing autonomous weapons. His involvement in the defence sector dates back to at least 2006, when he became a director of Subsea Resources, a wreck-salvage firm whose board included a reported former MI6 officer and a retired Royal Navy vice-admiral. Political funding expert Sam Power said the situation "warrants a spotlight", while Harborne's lawyers, Schillings, insisted his commercial interests are "unconnected in any way whatsoever with his political affiliations".