Tax pursuit of Reform-linked design firm exposes donor insolvency risk

The case features among at least seven firms identified as having given Reform UK a combined £485,000 while facing financial distress, dissolution, closure or late-filing breaches. Other examples include a building firm whose linked companies collapsed into administration owing more than £19 million, and a firm that gave £25,000 before itself entering administration.

Under UK electoral law, companies remain permissible donors provided they are registered and "carrying on business", a test that does not require active trading. The Electoral Commission said it was not investigating these specific donations. A bill before Parliament proposes tightening donation rules by linking permissible sums to company revenue or profit.