Politics LIVE: Labour calls for probe into Reform's crypto donations: 'Serious questions to answer!'

Labour has called for an investigation into the latest donations to Reform UK, coming from a Thailand-based crypto currency billionaire and ex-Tory benefactor.

The party's chair Anna Turley has written to the Electoral Commission after it was revealed Reform had secured a further £3million donation from Thai- based billionaire Christopher Harborne ahead of the May local elections - where Nigel Farage's party is looking to win seats up and down Britain.

The donation followed £9million he gave to Reform last summer, among a flurry of donations in the back half of 2025 that saw the party acquire more funding than any other, with another £5.5million secured between October and December.

Mr Harborne formerly donated much to the Conservative Party and was involved in bankrolling Brexit.

Ms Turley voiced concern that Reform UK hadn't declared the form of the donation, given that cryptocurrency donations above the threshold of £500 must be reported to the Electoral Commission as a non-cash donation.

She told The Independent: “Nigel Farage has serious questions to answer on crypto donations to Reform.

“After Farage said Reform would take crypto donations last May, and bragged about having received crypto cash in October, not a single donation has been declared. Farage needs to say why".

Ms Turley claimed it "raised alarming questions about transparency" and that the decision to write to the Electoral Commission was to ensure that the public can have confidence that "everything is above board" with Reform’s declarations.

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David Lammy defends PM's response to Middle East crisis

Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy insisted he was not embarrassed by the UK’s response to the Middle East crisis.

The UK has been criticised for failing to have air defence measures in place to sufficiently protect RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, which was hit by a drone.

Air defence destroyer HMS Dragon is not expected to sail to the eastern Mediterranean until next week.

Asked if he was embarrassed, Mr Lammy told Sky News: “Absolutely not - we have F-35s, Typhoons in the sky taking down missiles as we speak and that has happened over Jordan, it’s happened over Qatar and of course, we will support nationals in the region.

“It’s also right to say that we co-ordinate with allies, the French, the Germans. Cyprus is a Nato ally, so we coordinate also with other teams and other close allies on how we equip the area.

“HMS Dragon will be in the region in the coming weeks to further bolster and further support our air defences".