Labour's Efforts to Block Donations to Reform May Conflict with Human Rights Laws, Former Attorney General Warns

Labour's initiative to block two £36 million donations to Reform may conflict with its own human rights laws, according to former attorney general Sir Michael Ellis. Downing Street has confirmed that a crackdown on political donations from abroad will be applied retrospectively, which critics argue violates principles of 'natural justice'. The specifics of the new law remain unclear, but it could require Reform to repay the donations made by crypto-billionaires Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne. Sir Michael Ellis stated that the retrospective aspect of the legislation could violate both the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and Labour’s Human Rights Act. He remarked that it is 'patently obvious' Labour is attempting to alter the rules to limit donations to Reform and emphasized that such retrospective measures are offensive to English law. He also noted that it is uncertain whether the legislation would comply with the Human Rights Act. Ministers plan to amend the law to limit donations from British citizens abroad to £100,000 annually, with the changes backdated to March 25 of this year. After this date, donors must prove they have been registered to vote in the UK for at least 12 months. Nigel Farage has asserted that the two £36 million donations are '100 percent compliant with the law today'. Additionally, No 10 announced a new 'strengthened' residency test, although officials did not clarify its specifics. Zia Yusuf, Reform's home affairs spokesman, accused Labour of creating retroactive laws to undermine a political opponent, arguing that such actions compromise legal certainty and transform politics into a contest of power rather than persuasion. Records indicate that Mr. Delo has been registered to vote in Oxfordshire since 2022, potentially allowing him to circumvent Labour’s proposed restrictions. Mr. Harborne has been registered in Hampshire intermittently since 2020, but there are gaps in his registration history.