Nigel Farage has declared that the £5m gift he received from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne is “not any of your business,” insisting the money was given unconditionally and could be spent on anything from Ferraris to gambling on horses. The Reform UK leader bristled at questions about the donation during two radio interviews on Tuesday, calling it a “purely private matter.”

On LBC Radio, Farage told the presenter: “With all due respect, what’s it got to do with you? It’s an unconditional gift. I can spend it on Ferraris if I want. That’d be entirely up to me. I can put it on the horses.” When challenged over why he initially said the money was for personal security and later claimed it was a reward for Brexit, Farage explained: “Because it was given as an unconditional gift, right? The understanding is… I’ve been physically more attacked over many years than any other politician.” He added that he believed the gift was a reward for giving up a quarter-century of his life and a huge City of London income, enduring abuse in the process.

The gift is under investigation by parliament’s standards commissioner, as it was handed over months before Farage returned as an MP in 2024, leading to accusations that it should have been declared. Farage dismissed hypocrisy claims, noting that when he attacked Keir Starmer for receiving donations of glasses and suits, Starmer “was the leader of the opposition and I was a presenter on GB News.” He also argued that he wasn’t in politics at the time of the donation, despite having been interviewed about a possible run for parliament. When asked if he’d return the money if found to have broken rules, Farage replied: “I don’t think it’s any of your business, frankly.”

On the 10th anniversary of the Brexit vote, Farage said he did not regret it, blaming the establishment for failing to implement the public’s wishes. Meanwhile, Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds expressed disappointment that an EU summit was rearranged due to the Labour leadership change but voiced support for Andy Burnham to succeed Keir Starmer, citing Burnham’s ability to defeat Reform and deliver results.