Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, is aiming to become the Prime Minister and has outlined a set of proposals to achieve his goal. These include initiatives such as mass deportations, extensive budget cuts amounting to billions, and tax reductions for high-income individuals. The party envisions significant policy changes for 2026 to bring about national rejuvenation, including enhancements in community policing, removal of the two-child benefit restriction, a freeze on railway fares, and a planned decrease in energy costs.
Despite Reform UK’s prominent position in the polls, Nigel Farage has an approval rating of -4 as per recent surveys. There remains a lack of trust from the public towards his party on various issues. Reform UK has expressed intentions to shrink the state to 35% of GDP, necessitating substantial public spending reductions of nearly £300 billion. Deputy leader Richard Tice highlighted this ambition on a podcast, proposing a cut of £274 billion from government expenditures based on the current GDP figures.
Reform UK has not specified the exact areas where the budget reductions would occur, but former Prime Minister Gordon Brown suggested that schools and hospitals would likely bear the brunt of these cuts. The party has indicated plans to slash NHS funding by £26 billion and offer tax incentives to those who can afford private healthcare. Nigel Farage has advocated for alternative funding mechanisms for the NHS, suggesting a shift away from general taxation towards insurance-based models.
The party has faced criticism for proposing a scheme called the Britannia Card, which would allow wealthy foreign individuals to avoid UK taxes by paying a fee of £250,000. Moreover, Reform UK has announced intentions to eliminate indefinite leave to remain (ILR), potentially leading to the deportation of hundreds of thousands of legal migrants. Their policies also include opposing clean energy projects, endorsing fracking nationwide, and challenging the Online Safety Act without offering a replacement plan.