Donations law changes to be debated after Reform's £72m windfall

The House of Lords will debate changes to the laws on political donations later on Monday after Reform UK received £72m from two billionaires in 24 hours.

The government is seeking to change the law on donations to UK political parties from British expats, including a £100,000 cap backdated to 25 March.

"We believe that we've done everything in complete accordance with the laws," he told BBC Breakfast.

Tice said the party's donations would enable it to "get on a level playing field" with other parties, likened it to Labour receiving donations from trade unions, and that "competition is a good thing".

Speaking at the TUC's annual congress in Brighton on Monday, Nowak said: "Let no-one tell you there is any similarity between care workers chipping in a few quid a year through their union and a party bought and paid for by billionaires."

The sheer scale of Reform's record-breaking donation windfall has prompted an urgent debate across the parties.

The rules were proposed in a review by former civil servant Philip Rycroft aimed at countering foreign influence in UK politics.

The self-described entrepreneur and philanthropist, Ben Delo, made headlines over the weekend with a record-breaking £36m donation to Reform UK.

The Labour peer Lord Wills told Radio 4's Westminster Hour he intended to amend the bill so that donations from those living in the UK could also be capped.

Her union has donated large sums to Labour in recent years, but she argues that "billionaires splashing out millions" is different from "everyday workers giving 10p a week to a political fund".

Questions remain over whether Reform will be able to keep all of the £72m.

The government has also proposed a minimum residency period in which the £100,000 cap would still apply for those who move back to the UK.