UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Reform UK leader called party policies “aspirations” as pressure mounts over £80bn cost, admitting figures don’t add up before the next election.
As reported by The Telegraph, Nigel Farage referred to Reform UK’s manifesto as “aspirational” during a televised documentary.
What did Nigel Farage say about delivering Reform’s agenda?
Fraser Nelson, ex-editor of The Spectator, questioned whether Nigel Farage could reach Downing Street, as Reform UK’s polling now outpaces Labour’s.
In the Dispatches interview, Mr Farage said,
“Most of what I’m giving at the moment is direction of travel… We’re going to be careful because too many fixed promises have been made and not delivered.”
Asked about immigration, he argued,
“All of politics is an aspiration if you think about it… every manifesto, every contract is actually an aspiration because you can never tell – a war could break out, all sorts of things could happen.”
Mr Farage stated,
“I understand that between now and the next election there’ll be lots of scrutiny about numbers, about what we say, about what do, but let’s make it clear that in terms of direction of travel. We are the party of working people. We want to reward people who are at work.”
Mr Nelson asked,
“But you accept that right now the figures don’t add up, because you say it’s not time to make them add up by the next election?”
The Reform leader responded,
“Rachel Reeves’s numbers don’t add up! Now, there is a massive debate and argument around the cost of net-zero. I get that. We’ll have lots of fights. I need you to do that for me. Well, it could be 30, 40 billion.”
His comments signal that some Reform UK manifesto promises could be revised or scrapped.
The Reform leader believes effective local council leadership is crucial if Reform UK hopes to secure a path to national government.
He stated,
“How we perform will make a material difference to how we’re viewed running up to the next general election. Of that I have no doubt.”
Mr Farage said Reform would place “family, community and country” at the centre of its agenda if elected.
Rejecting criticism, he insisted Reform UK is not a divisive force and denied ever using “race-baiting” in his political career.
Mr Farage said,
“I’ve never done that. I promise you, you go through 25 years of speeches and you won’t find it. I think if you look at what we say, if you look at [what] we do, which is more important than what you say, in terms of how I operate, who I work with, who rises to the top and takes positions in the party, you’ll see we’re a very meritocratic organisation… I’ve been clear on this for 25 years.”
The Reform leader added,
“All the political iterations that I’ve run, the campaigns that I have been part of, I’ve never wanted anything to do with extremist politics in any way. Ever, ever, ever.”
What did the YouGov survey reveal about Labour’s support?
A recent YouGov poll shows a shift of working-class voters from Labour to Reform UK.
Over 50% of 2024 Labour voters now backing Reform come from working-class homes, according to the poll.
A YouGov survey of more than 10,000 respondents found that dissatisfaction over broken or unfulfilled pledges is the leading cause of voters leaving Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party.
How much could Reform UK’s pledges cost Britain?
The Institute of Fiscal Studies has projected that Reform UK’s policy proposals may carry an annual cost of up to £80 billion.
In recent weeks, Nigel Farage has outlined several costly pledges, including scrapping the two-child limit on benefits and reviving blast furnaces.
Key facts about Nigel Farage’s tax plan
- £250,000 “landing fee” for wealthy newcomers for 10-year residency.
- Exemption from UK tax on international earnings and inheritance.
- Money raised will fund a £600–£1,000 annual tax-free bonus for low-paid workers.
- Aims to attract 6,000–10,000 high-net-worth individuals yearly.
- Only the bottom 10% full-time earners will get the dividend via HMRC.