How much has every political party received in donations this year as Reform given another £3m

One party leads the way comfortably

And money is no where more important than in the world of politics, where lobbying, backhanded contracts, corruption and donations fuel the never ending cycle of bureaucracy.

Of course, parties can gain popularity through their ideas, which was mostly the case for a long time, however, more and more - in a way not dissimilar to modern football - it's become pay to win.

"Follow the money"

As made famous by the 1976 film All the President's Men about the Watergate scandal, the phrase "follow the money" remains just as relevant now as it did then.

It shows just who the big players are and also where the influence ultimately lies.

While some parties make most of their money via member subscriptions, such as the Green Party, others enjoy a little bit of a leg up from the elites of this world.

This comes as new data from the Electoral Commission showed that political parties accepted £24.7m in the first quarter of 2026.

So, who has received the most money this year?

When it comes to the first quarter of 2026, there is one clear winner in terms of most money received in donations and, it will come as no surprise to anyone, it's Reform.

As per data from the Electoral Commission, the list of donations accepted, excluding public funds, is as follows:

1. Reform UK - £9,262,000
2. Conservative Party - £4,225,354
3. Labour - £4,046,640
4. Lib Dems - £2,291,101
5. Co-operative Party - £439,300
6. Green Party - £163,020
7. Open Party - £129,556
8. Scottish National Party - £125,000
9. Advance UK - £28,000
10. Plaid Cymru - £25,500
11. Alliance - £20,535
12. Reclaim Party - £20,000
13. SDP - £15,000

Parties also receive public funding to ensure opposition groups can maintain operations, conduct policy research, and communicate with voters.

List of parties receiving public funds and how much:

1. Conservatives - £1,837,607
2. Liberal Democrats - £727,134
3. Reform UK - £674,393
4. Sinn Féin - £126,845
5. Democratic Unionist Party - £104,347
6. Green Party - £98,764
7. Scottish National Party - £92,758
8. Social Democratic and Labour Party - £79,536
9. Labour Party - £56,216
10. Alliance Party of Northern Ireland - £41,336
11. Ulster Unionist Party - £40,303
12. Plaid Cymru - £33,967
13. Scottish Green Party - £12,590

While the grand total of a party's donations is an key indicator, it is also important to take into account the number of donations made.

Effectively, whether the money has come in large sums from just a handful of people, or from a large pool of people.

This can help show whether a party is being funded by a handful of super-rich donors with clear agendas, or by a more diverse group of people.

The Lib Dems topped this list with 266 donations so far this year while Tories had around 150 and Labour 100.

Meanwhile Reform had just 28 and the Greens 10.

Therefore, one man has donated more to Reform (Christopher Harborne £3m) than 266 people have to the Lib Dems (£2,291,101).

Reform's boom and donations since 2010

Nigel Farage. Getty.

Since the party's earliest incarnation in April 2019, Reform UK has received £45,162,847.16 in donations.

Who was their first ever donor you ask? - well that would be Christopher Harborne again.

He has also given more than half of the party's donations with £25,190,000 provided.

To be fair, Reform the only ones racking in the cash, with the Tories being donated almost half a billion (£416,010,543) pounds since 2010.

In the same period, the Labour party has received £252,760,547.

What does all this matter?

Money matters, that is clear, what it represents is also just as important.

Such donations allow established parties to remain the norm as they make their presence felt through heavy canvassing and publicity stunts - drowning out any smaller parties.

It also represents an agenda from the elite - those who can afford to give away millions not to charity, but to politics instead.

Money is influence and influence is power.