Figures included in Reform UK’s manifesto have been torn to shreds by experts, with one equating the numbers to “two Liz Trusses”.
Nigel Farage headed to Wales to unveil the party’s so-called “contract” with Britain on Monday (17/6), outlining £140 billion worth of spending commitments that will be paid for by £156 billion of savings in public spending and an assumption of increased tax revenue from higher economic growth.
But the Institute for Fiscal Studies thinktank said the party’s plans were based on “extremely optimist assumptions” about growth and the sums “do not add up”, meaning the manifesto as a whole was “problematic”.
Posting on X (formerly Twitter), tax expert Dan Neidle also said the figures have a total unfunded cost of at least £38 billion, while Ed Conway used parallels with the former Conservative prime minister in his analysis.
Spending pledges broken down by party show Reform UK is second only to the Green Party in terms of how much they plan to spend if elected into government.
The lofty spending plans have prompted some amusing reactions on social media:
Related: Farage claims Reform UK has been ‘stitched up’ over candidate vetting