Arron Fraser Andrew Banks is a prominent British businessman, political donor, and politician, widely recognized for his pivotal role in the Brexit campaign. Born in Gateshead, England, Banks built his fortune in the insurance industry, founding companies such as Brightside Group and Eldon Insurance (later renamed Somerset Bridge Insurance Services). He transitioned from being a significant donor to the Conservative Party to becoming the largest individual donor to the UK Independence Party (UKIP). Banks co-founded the Leave.EU campaign, a key pro-Brexit organization, alongside Richard Tice, and was a close ally of Nigel Farage during the 2016 EU referendum. He was a key figure in the Brexit campaign and was investigated for alleged foreign funding and ties to Russian officials. Banks has been at the center of several controversies and investigations. He was investigated by the Electoral Commission and subsequently the National Crime Agency (NCA) regarding the source of £8 million in loans and donations to Leave.EU and other pro-Brexit groups, though the NCA concluded in 2019 that no criminal offences were committed. He faced allegations of improper ties and meetings with Russian officials, which he consistently denied as purely business-related. Banks was also fined by the Information Commissioner's Office for data protection breaches by his insurance companies and lost a high-profile defamation lawsuit against journalist Carole Cadwalladr concerning her claims about his Russian connections. He is currently associated with Reform UK.