Overview
- Reform UK unveiled a new forum in London to recruit small and medium-sized firms to help shape legislation, tax policy and rule changes.
- Nigel Farage told about 300 SME owners that government listens to big corporations, arguing the UK is in an era of global corporatism shaped by lobbying and hospitality such as Wimbledon outings.
- He pledged to cut red tape, lighten regulatory burdens and promote a culture that celebrates profit and entrepreneurial success.
- He targeted IR35 rules, a reported 30 percent rise in corporation tax under the Conservatives, elements of Labour’s Employment Rights Bill and what he called an overly low VAT threshold.
- Checkatrade founder Kevin Byrne publicly endorsed Reform UK at the event, and separate coverage reported Farage has dropped a £90 billion tax-cut promise to bolster fiscal credibility.