Nigel Farage is revving back into campaign mode once again for another referendum, this time to take on “the life-changing Net Zero plans forced upon us by Westminster politicians“. Taking back control of our borders energy policies and prices…
Running under the banner of “Vote Power, Not Poverty“, Nige is raising cash for a “cross party, grassroots campaign” alongside Reform Party protégé Richard Tice to force a referendum on the government’s plan to reach Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050. They’ll be holding rallies across the country throughout the next year, with the campaign’s social media channels and website already up and running. Familiar scenes to the 2019 Brexit Party heyday…
The campaign is laser-focused on energy independence, particularly the UK’s untapped shale gas reserves. According to Vote Power’s site:
“We have huge energy resources here in the U.K. that we can use for much cheaper energy bills! Right now, about half of our energy supply is being imported from abroad, including from Russia and the Middle East […] The good news is that we have a real treasure under our feet, called Shale Gas! There is an estimated 50 years worth of shale gas, estimated to be worth over £1 trillion, right under our feet. What’s more important is that we, the people, own this Treasure. So let’s use it!”
Energy bills are skyrocketing, a Net Zero Scrutiny Group led by Steve Baker and Craig Mackinlay is forming within the Tories, and we’re only in the early stages of a cost-of-living crisis. Never bet against Nigel…
All the papers are full of speculation that the government is going to announce a 1% hike in national insurance or a new “social care levy” to get round the clear guarantee the Tories gave less than 2 years ago that they would not raise any taxes. A guarantee personally signed off by the Prime Minister…
There seems to be a depressing consensus across the political spectrum that tax hikes are necessary. The only party opposed is the Reform Party, currently polling at 4%. They are taking a low tax, high growth position on the economy in direct contrast to the Tories’ new-found higher taxes and higher spending stance. If Richard Tice can capitalise on the issue, it could boost his support and breathe life into the stalling party – which frankly hasn’t had much traction post-Brexit.
Tory wonks will argue that there is polling support for their tax and spend policies, and that the Reform Party’s policies don’t add up. That doesn’t necessarily matter; the party could still garner votes from traditional Tories, particularly in the South East, who are fed up of hearing about spending in the Red Wall seats and in Scotland, paid for by their taxes. Tearing up the guarantee is not cost-free electorally.
Reform Party leader Richard Tice is unhappy, because the party’s bankers are withdrawing their account facilities. The party’s current bankers, Metro Bank, have told him they will no longer accept his business. This is after all the other High Street banks turned them away as well. Laurence Fox also had problems getting a bank account despite having only one donor. Tice held a press conference this morning saying “I’m going to write to the Governor of the Bank Of England to ask the bank itself for clearing bank facilities.” The Old Lady is usually the lender of last resort – not the banker of last resort…
Banks are wary of political accounts because they now have to report “PEPs”: politically exposed persons. This was meant to keep an eye on African and Russian kleptocrats, not small British political parties. Unless they believe that Russian codswallop*…
*Where’s Carole Cadwalladr’s evidence? The wheels of justice are turning very slowly.
Guido reckons Richard Tice has to fight the Hartlepool by-election, it is the first test for his newly named party which it surely can’t avoid. Sources close to the Reform Party leader say he is “actively considering the matter” of standing in the seat which he fought in the 2019 general election. Labour had a majority of 3,595. The Brexit Party in the constituency got 10,603 in 2019. The question for Tice is where will all those Brexit votes go?
If the Labour Party selects a rejoiner like former Stockton South MP Dr Paul Williams, they will be making a clear play for the non-Leave vote up against a weak local LibDem. Even though the seat was 70% for leave this might not be suicidal if the Leave legacy vote is divided. Tice put up a good show in 2019, will he be able to better that against a buoyant in the polls Tory party? Will the name ‘Reform UK’ be well known enough with low information voters by May? Will another issue entirely dominate the campaign?
As readers learnt this morning, Michelle Ballantyne has been announced as the new leader of Reform UK Scotland. You’re either in front of Guido or behind…
At the launch, Richard Tice also set out some of Reform UK’s policy proposals going forward, including:
- Cutting taxes and regulations
- Cut wasteful government spending
- House of Lords reform
- Reform of the civil service
- Devolving more powers from Holyrood to Scottish communities
Mostly a copy and paste job from the Brexit party’s already thin 2019 manifesto…
The Electoral Commission has finally got round to approving the Brexit Party’s name change, in time for the local elections. Nigel Farage tells Guido “This is great news and the perfect time in the New Year. The need for Reform is greater than ever as we try to recover from Covid. We have a huge opportunity as a nation post Brexit, but there are many areas of the UK that need real, bold reform: our economy, House of Lords, BBC, civil service, the voting system to mention a few.” Let’s see how the new variant Farage Party spreads…
