“The Government has already taken stricter action against foreign-money donation sources that favour its political opponents.”

The Government has indeed taken stricter action against two donation sources that disproportionately favour its political opponents. On 25 March 2026, in response to the independent Rycroft Review into foreign financial interference in UK politics, the Government announced (i) a £100,000 annual cap on donations from British citizens living overseas (overseas electors), applied retrospectively from 25 March 2026, and (ii) a complete moratorium on cryptocurrency donations to political parties, also applied retrospectively from the same date. Both measures are being delivered through amendments to the Representation of the People Bill. These sources predominantly benefit Reform UK, a political opponent of the Labour Government. Reform UK received £7 million from two British crypto billionaires living abroad — Ben Delo (Hong Kong, £4m) and Christopher Harborne (Thailand, £3m) — and was the first major UK party to announce it would accept crypto donations. Reuters reported the measures 'could hurt Nigel Farage's Reform UK party,' and the BBC noted the crypto ban was 'particularly relevant to Reform UK, which is currently the only party at Westminster known to have received' crypto donations. At least two-thirds of Reform's fundraising came from donors abroad. Meanwhile, the Government has not taken comparable action on domestic donation sources that favour Labour, such as trade union donations (which account for the majority of Labour's funding). The Employment Rights Act 2025 (in force from 18 February 2026) actually eased union political-fund collection by moving from an opt-in to an opt-out system. A general cap on all political donations — which would affect Labour's own donor base — has not been introduced; Labour MPs and the Liberal Democrats have proposed such caps as amendments, but the Government has not committed to them, which is precisely why Dr Savage is asking the Prime Minister to do so. The claim is therefore accurate: the Government has cracked down on crypto and overseas-money donation sources, and these sources do favour its political opponents, while sources favouring the Government's own party remain uncapped. Sources: - GOV.UK — Cap on donations from overseas electors and ban on crypto donations to protect democracy (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cap-on-donations-from-overseas-electors-and-ban-on-crypto-donations-to-protect-democracy) - GOV.UK — Tough new rules to crackdown on foreign money in UK elections (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/tough-new-rules-to-crackdown-on-foreign-money-in-uk-elections) - GOV.UK — Rycroft Review response: letter to parliamentary parties (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rycroft-review-response-letter-to-parliamentary-parties/rycroft-review-response-letter-to-parliamentary-parties-accessible-version) - GOV.UK — Independent review: countering foreign financial influence and interference in UK politics: Terms of Reference (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/foreign-financial-interference-in-uk-politics-independent-review-reviewer-appointment-letter-and-terms-of-reference/independent-review-countering-foreign-financial-influence-and-interference-in-uk-politics-terms-of-reference) - BBC News — Crypto billionaires help Reform cement fundraising lead (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn4pkkpe9ppo) - BBC News — Starmer to temporarily ban crypto donations to UK parties (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y8d2qvr9do) - Reuters — UK to cap overseas political donations and ban crypto funding for parties (https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-review-urges-cap-overseas-political-donations-pause-crypto-2026-03-25/) - BBC News — Labour MPs seek cap on political donations (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3wy268q48po) - GOV.UK — Trade union law: transition to Employment Rights Act 2025 (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/trade-union-law-transition-to-employment-rights-act-2025) - MP Data — Labour (Co-op) Donations (https://mpdata.uk/parties/labour/donations)