Ben Delo, a prominent donor to Reform UK, provided a £350,000 loan to conservative writer Nina Power to assist with legal fees in a defamation case that ultimately ended in failure. The litigation stemmed from an online dispute involving Power, her associate Daniel DC Miller, and performance artist Luke Turner.

Power and Miller launched a libel suit against Turner after he accused them of holding antisemitic views, allegations they denied. Turner simultaneously filed a counterclaim alleging harassment by the pair. In 2023, a High Court ruling dismissed both claims: the court found that Turner’s online presence was insufficient to have damaged Power and Miller’s reputations, and that their conduct did not amount to unlawful harassment. Nonetheless, the judgment scrutinized the conduct of Power and Miller, noting episodes of online bullying that carried “a whiff of threat and antisemitism.”

Following the judgment, Turner was awarded legal costs totaling approximately £1 million, about 80% of the total sum. Power was declared bankrupt, and during the bankruptcy process, it emerged that Delo had loaned her £350,000 secured against a London property she owns. This loan was reportedly extended weeks before the trial after Power’s conditional fee arrangement with her lawyers fell through. The loan was made on a commercial basis with a repayment schedule in place.

Delo, who has contributed significant funding to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party and supported organizations opposing what they term “woke” culture, is also associated with the Free Speech Union led by Conservative peer Toby Young. It is understood that Delo does not believe Power and Miller hold antisemitic views and would not knowingly back individuals who do.

The dispute originally arose from conflicting positions related to events organized by the London art gallery LD50, known for hosting controversial figures including neo-reactionary speakers. Turner characterized LD50 as an alt-Nazi venue, while Miller participated in counter-protests emphasizing the “right to openly discuss ideas.” During the trial, Turner admitted he had wrongly attributed a blog promoting Hitler-style disability policies to Miller, who is of Jewish heritage and linked to the hard-right magazine IM-1776.

Court records also revealed private WhatsApp conversations between Power and Miller, in which they appeared to dismiss anti-racism efforts as a “psyop” and made contentious remarks about racial identity. The judge noted the pair had also engaged in repeated online insults against Turner, using terms such as “low IQ,” “sociopathic,” “paranoid schizophrenic,” and “dangerously mentally ill,” sometimes accompanied by suggestions for him to seek help.

Power, formerly identified with left-wing academic circles and a writer on feminism, has publicly described a shift towards conservatism and authored a book exploring contemporary masculinity. Both Power and Miller denied advocating antisemitic views, stating their work reflects a critical inquiry into complex social issues. Miller described media coverage of the case as a “systematic distortion of facts,” reaffirming his Jewish identity.

Neither Power nor Delo responded to requests for comment on the matter.