Farage accused of cut and spend manifesto 'that doesn't add up'

Reform UK leader plans to 'establish bridgehead' ready for 2029 election

- Ben Quinn, Pippa Crerar, Peter Walker

Nigel Farage announced a series of populist pledges, huge tax cuts and £140bn in spending commitments yesterday in a Reform UK manifesto that economists said did "not add up".

The Conservative party, which has struggled to counter the growing Reform threat, accused Farage of being part of a "great entertainment machine" and not somebody who could govern the country.

Labour strategists believe Reform, which launched its manifesto in the opposition's south Wales heartlands, does not represent a serious threat because it is so poorly organised and likely to have its vote squeezed by the Tories on 4 July.

Farage, however, said he wanted Reform UK to establish a "bridgehead" in parliament with a view to a full assault in five years' time, suggesting he could be in No 10 following the next general election.

As he launched his party's election promises, Farage said: "We are not pretending we are going to win this general election. This election is for our party, and for me, the first important step on the road to 2029. Our ambition is to establish a bridgehead in parliament, and to become a real opposition to a Labour government."

Reform UK's plans imply spending an extra £141bn a year on tax cuts and other policy pledges, paid for by £156bn of savings in public spending and an assumption of increased tax revenue from higher economic growth.

But the respected 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".