Nigel Farage vows to fix 'broken Britain' as he launches Reform UK election 'contract'

17 June 2024, 13:43 | Updated: 17 June 2024, 15:08

Nigel Farage says he intends to fix 'broken Britain' and stated his intention to run for PM in 2029 as he unveiled Reform UK's election 'contract' from South Wales.

The Reform UK leader launched the contract from Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales, noting that the word "manifesto" has been "devalued" by the major parties.

During the policy unveiling, Farage blamed Brexit "disenchantment" on lack of leadership in government, with the Reform UK leader pledging to raise the threshold at which earners start paying tax to £20,000 in a bid to "make work pay".

He also pledged to "stop small boats in 100 days" as part of the unveiling.

It follows comments made by Farage in which he declared he would “absolutely” stand to be the UK’s prime minister by 2029.

"Our real ambition is the 2029 general election," said Farage.

It comes as Labour's Wes Streeting called for debate with Nigel Farage in a bid to take on what he called the politician's 'toxic rhetoric'.

The party leader said he would have "preferred" an October election, describing how Reform UK need to "catch up" ahead of the snap general election.

As part of his speech, Farage said that "Labour is not very different to the Conservatives," as he set out his plans to restore "broken Britain".

Reform UK claimed that by “scrapping net zero and related subsidies” the party would save the UK £30bn per year.

It comes hows after it emerged a Reform UK candidate had resigned after blog posts emerged calling for people to vote for the British National Party.

Read more: Nigel Farage reveals ambition to be Prime Minister by 2029 ahead of Reform UK manifesto launch

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During the launch, the Reform UK leader also claimed that it would save £35bn a year by stopping the Bank of England paying interest to commercial banks.

At present, the UK is one of the only European nations to pay the interest on any deposits held by lenders.

As a result - and quantitive easing, taxpayers now foot a large portion of the bill.

As part of the launch, Farage labelled the European Convention on Human Rights "completely out of date," noting he restore the nation’s ability to control its own borders.

He also spoke on the NHS, branding the current model "not fit for purpose".

Reform UK's core pledges:

• All non-essential immigration frozen
• All Illegal migrants to the UK will be detained and deported or returned to France.
• Raise income tax threshold to £20k
• Rid the NHS of waiting lists
• Tax breaks for doctors and nurses
• Scrap energy levies, net zero plans and instead use Britain's oil and gas reserves

It comes as a group of University of Bath academics labelled "the likes of Farage truly parasitic”.

Professor Brad Evans from the University of Bath’s Politics, Languages & International Studies department said that choosing to launch in the valleys of South Wales "shows how the likes of Farage are truly parasitic and prey to local concerns".

He said that post-industrial communities have "been abandoned" by government, adding that "immigration is not their main problem, it’s decades of neglect authored by the elitist classes to which Farage belongs."