Farage vows to call ‘national emergency’ on day one
Nigel Farage would call a “national emergency” to highlight the country’s woes after successive Tory and Labour governments.
Under plans proposed by a Reform government, Farage would make MPs sit in parliament seven days a week to pass bills written by the government, including through the summer.
At a speech on Friday at the Reform UK party conference, Farage will say that Tories “failed” for 14 years in government and he will say that Andy Burnham “wants 10 more” years of woes.
A Reform UK spokesman said: “Britain is in serious trouble. We don’t have time to wait around to fix it”.
The King’s Speech, which presents bills to be passed by a government, normally takes place within days of a General Election result. Reform UK officials were approached for comment on whether it would take place on the first day of Farage entering Number 10 if he won an election.
Farage is expected to announce that ministers who fail to meet party pledges within specific time frames would be sacked.
He will also tell an audience of lobbyists, businessmen and party members: “If the Lords, judiciary or civil service get in our way they will discover just how determined we are.”
The leader will also say that he would do “anything and everything to make the first 100 days work”.
Farage and Jenrick to hold Budget in first 100 days
Reform’s economic spokesman Robert Jenrick told the conference he would hold a Budget within the 100 days of entering office and cut £80bn in government expenditure each year, allowing for tax hikes and a calculated £30bn gain to public finances from lower debt interest payments.
Deputy leader Richard Tice also said that the government would cut £250 from household energy bills by scrapping carbon taxes on generators through the emissions trading scheme. Other net zero levies would also be removed as they have “little regard to the struggles of the British billpayer that bears them”, according to Tice.
Tice, who will deliver a speech on Friday before Farage, said high energy costs were a “national crisis” that would be a priority for the party.
Bridget Phillipson, chair of the Labour Party, said the announcements by Farage were a distraction from scrutiny relating to a £5m donation made by crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne to Farage before the 2024 election.
“If Farage can’t get his own house in order, he simply can’t be trusted to address the issues the country faces,” Phillipson said.
In the first of a three-day conference, party officials held discussions with industry chiefs and hosted panels with representatives from the likes of Panmure Liberum, Vodafonethree and AI firm Multiverse.
Jenrick refused to rule out bank taxes in one event with City executives although he predicted John Healey would raise levies on lenders at the Budget.
Reform is still ahead of Labour in Morning Wire/Freshwater Strategy polling although it is facing some political pressures from a swing in fortunes for the governing party and Kemi Badenoch’s popularity boost.