EXCLUSIVE interview with the man who put the LibDems down to 4th place

Part I of no-holds-barred talk with Richard Tice, Leader of Reform UK

Montage © Facts4EU.Org 2024

Facts4EU and CIBUK present the views of the leader of the UK’s third party, as he gears up for the election

All polls and by-election results now show Reform UK led by Richard Tice as the third force in British politics across England, Wales and Scotland – by voting intention if not by seats in Parliament. Facts4EU and CIBUK were granted an exclusive one-on-one interview, which we show below.

In this interview we asked Mr Tice about his party’s views on a range of matters important to the voting public. He did not hold back.

A Brexit Facts4EU.Org Series

Part I – Immigration & integration, stopping the boats, tax & the economy, freedom of expression (This report)
Part II - Energy costs and security, defence, Northern Ireland, education
Part III – Crime, NHS, education, housing, extreme Islamists, Hamas, why vote Reform UK?

Both Brexit Facts4EU and CIBUK are non-partisan. In this pivotal election year, however, we felt the British people should have the maximum possible information on which to make their decision on how to vote in the general election.

In this exclusive interview with Facts4EU and CIBUK, Richard Tice holds nothing back. This is a fast-moving interview which we have split into three parts, as Reform UK's leader lays out his strategy for changing the country for the better. We leave readers and viewers to make their own decisions about his and his party's vision.

The Richard Tice Interview - Part I

The Reform UK party and what it stands for

Immigration and integration: Taking back control
Stopping the boats
The economy, Net Zero, and printing money
Tax policies
British values and freedom of expression

[Source: Exclusive Facts4EU and CIBUK interview with Reform UK Leader Richard Tice, 28 Feb 2024.]

Richard Tice could not have been clearer

Mr Tice has leapfrogged Sir Ed Davey’s LibDems to make his party the third force in British politics, at least in terms of voting intentions if not in parliamentary seats. (The Rochdale by-election result was atypical.)

He also made it clear that at the next election Reform UK will not be standing down any candidates to aid the Conservatives, as the Brexit Party did in the 2019 general election. Whatever the result, there can be no doubt that Mr Tice and his party will have a significant effect on the outcome.

Watch Part I of this fascinating interview here (12 mins)

(And please don't forget to "Like" the video and "Subscribe" to the YouTube channel.)

Tice interview extracts Part I

What follows are extracts or our paraphrasing of what Richard Tice said, in his wide-ranging interview with us. He was keen to promote Reform UK's policy document (linked below) which he says has been fully costed.

On Immigration

Mass immigration - complete betrayal of what was promised by the Tories.
A city the size of Birmingham arriving in 2022, 2023, and probably in 2024, give or take.
We say ‘one in one out’, so we can welcome high skilled, high-quality people.
About 400,000 people leave the UK every year. So we could welcome that sort of number measured over a five-year electoral cycle.
Immigration only works when people actually can be absorbed, integrated and welcomed into local communities and they’ve got to speak the language.
Multiculturalism has failed. We're seeing it sadly on our streets with these dreadful pro-Hamas marches at the moment.
People, if they want to live in a country, have actually got to empathise with and respect the values of the host nation.
We operate under the English legal system and we must legislate and ban Sharia law, for example, in any forum in the UK.

On Stopping the Boats

Leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
Australia, Canada, America, other great nations, they have human rights very successfully.
They don't have to be a member of the ECHR.
“Pick up people safely out of the boats and take them back to France, which we're legally entitled to do under two international maritime treaties. I've read them. I know exactly the clauses.”
“I know how to stop the boats. I will stop the boats. No one else will.”

On the Economy, Net Zero, and Printing Money

“You cannot grow an economy with the five burdens of record high taxes, record government spending - often wasteful.”
It’s about 45% of the size of the economy - with nanny state regulations, and with mass low skilled immigration.
“The absolute insanity of Net Zero. You can't grow an economy with those burdens.”
“Our deficit this year is going to be £120 - £130 billion. That's about £2,500 per adult, £5,000 per household in one year.”
Scrap net zero. That saves about £30 billion a year.
Stop paying voluntary interest on all the QE reserves that were printed.
“We’re now paying £35 billion a year this year, a voluntary transfer of taxpayers’ cash, to rich City institutions, decided by the government, the Bank of England and its cronies.”

Reform UK's tax policies

Zero income tax below £20,000. That frees up 7 million from paying any income tax whatsoever.
Lift the medium-term tax thresholds from £50,000 to £70,000 for the 40% rate.
Reduce stamp duty to zero on homes below £750,000.
We've got to reduce the energy levies.
Scrap the tourist tax and we've got to abolish the grief [inheritance] tax.
Cutting government spending : Saving £5 in £100 like we’re all doing at home or in our small businesses, that's another £50 billion.
Reduce corporation tax back to 20%, and then with a clear mandate to get to 15%.
Lift VAT threshold to £120,000.
Abolish the IR35 on small traders, small businesses.

On Values and Freedom of Expression

Scrap the 2010 Equalities Act.
Scrap all the diversity, equality and inclusion roles, all of the ESG policies.
Introduce a free speech bill.
On trans specifically, it's a breach of safeguarding. Scrap it all, in all, our primary and secondary schools. Just ban it.
Any headteacher or teacher that allows it, they’re fired, literally.

Reform UK's policies

In this interview Richard Tice references Reform UK's 'Contract With the People' which they have recently released so we have provided a link to this. (Click the image to the right.)

In this document they lay out their key policies.

As all regular readers know, both we and CIBUK remain non-partisan and this 3-part interview and links are intended to provide readers with information on which to base their voting decision later this year, whenever the General Election is announced by Rishi Sunak.

Observations

We are grateful to Richard Tice for giving up his time and for providing detailed answers to so many of our questions.

Given so much content, delivered at high speed, we have split this interview into three parts. Part II (9.5 mins) is coming tomorrow and we suggest that readers will NOT want to miss this.

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[ Sources: Richard Tice, Leader of Reform UK ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org, Mon 04 Mar 2024

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Reader Comments 16

1. Sparky , Monday, March 04, 2024, 07:14:

It will be interesting to hear what implication leaving the ECHR would have for the Good Friday
Agreement and the TCA.
.
On stopping the boats, Richard Tice suggest using SOLAS which is primarily about safety of ships and UNCLOS which is primarily about territorial waters as a legal means to return immigrants in boats to France but these seem to be doubtful legal solutions. Boat migrants refuse to get into French boats, if UK boats start to return them to France they will refuse to get in UK boats and continue to the beaches or drown trying to do so or France will prevent UK boats entering French waters.

2. Ashley Great Britain , Monday, March 04, 2024, 07:45:

1 Sparky.
-
France shouldn't prevent us from returning boats that have left their shores. But you point out a valid truth that they will try, Hardly the actions of a friend and partner.
I didn't hear Richard mention SOLAS. There are legal ways to return the boats and its great to see a party that has the know how and courage to do it.
The second part of your post alludes to problems, Barriers and fear, The same way cons/lab think.
I just can't see how anyone would want to vote for either of those two parties.

3. Have You Wondered , Monday, March 04, 2024, 08:31:

.
A coupe of issues in Richards interview.
.
Leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
.
Do We need too?
.
I would suggest that with the amount of parliamentary time, political upheaval, economic concern, social unrest and concern over cultural change (also in the EU) that the immigration issue comes within Article 15.
.
ECHR ARTICLE 15
Derogation in time of emergency
1. In time of war or other public emergency threatening the
life of the nation any High Contracting Party may take measures
derogating from its obligations under this Convention to the extent
strictly required by the exigencies of the situation, provided that
such measures are not inconsistent with its other obligations under
international law.
.
Who will blink first and ditch the ECHR - the UK or the EU?
.
.
“Pick up people safely out of the boats and take them back to France, which we're legally entitled to do under two international maritime treaties. I've read them. I know exactly the clauses.”
.
Could Richard be specific about the two Maritme Treaties?
.

4. Have You Wondered , Monday, March 04, 2024, 08:39:

.
Another issue with Richards interview. The best part of a Trillion quid that is possibly illegal and not taxed.
.
Is Reform going to look at settling the UK debts by sequestrating the £570bn (Tax Justice UK - Hebden) hidden in UK offshore accounts until the money is proven to be legal?
.
Not to mention
... as well as a further £280bn held by UK residents in overseas “onshore” jurisdictions.
.
That's £850bn - the best part of a Trillion quid that is possibly illegal and not taxed.
.
Or will he be treading on toes?
.
Imagine the tax missed on just the £570bn at 20% is £114bn a year?
.
Why not tax at 40% since this money is obviously made by higher rate tax payers?
.
That'd set the UK on a good footing? What's not to like?
.
There is no spare cash in the coffers of the folk at the bottom end of the economic ladder.
.

5. Gazzablack , Monday, March 04, 2024, 08:55:

3, HYW
.
There is no need for the UK to leave the "European Convention on Human Rights"
But there is a need to leave the "European Court on Human Rights"
.
The UK has been a signatory to the first since the end of WW2, but wasn't a signatory to the second until 1998

6. Have You Wondered , Monday, March 04, 2024, 08:57:

.
Here's another idea for Richard to act upon:
.
VAT can only be described as a 'ransom tax', not based upon your ability to pay. VAT is a tax imposed upon everyone's everyday basic commodity needs. Since we all, rich or poor, use the same basic goods and services it becomes apparent that the VAT burden, as a percentage of income, falls disproportionately on lower incomes.
.
Now, with Brexit behind us, it would be an opportune time for the UK Chancellor to repeal the Value Added Tax (VAT) regime since it is the EU rules that enforce a general minimum 15% rate (with some exceptions).
.
The usual argument against repealing VAT is "where to make up the shortfall? I would suggest that a reformation of Income tax would be a ready made system - it just needs rationalising. All that is involved is to increase the 'step' rates and - most importantly, essential even:
ensure everyone pays the correct proportion of their income in taxes.
.
That needs repeating - ensure everyone pays the correct proportion of their income in taxes.
.
The move to eradicate VAT would be self financing, moving staff from VAT to Income Tax. Indeed, I would suggest provide a surplus to the civil service coffers.
.
Taxation would be simpler and more transparent.
.
The cost to business in administering VAT is considerable and by repealing VAT would give a very wholesome boost.
.
The move to eradicate VAT would place more money to circulate in the economy to the benefit of business and therefor the electorate.
.
Indeed, with the disparity in the burden of Income Tax and VAT, some might think it could be in contravention of the ECHR Commission. Article 14: Protection from discrimination: This occurs when a rule or policy, supposedly applying to everyone equally, actually works to the disadvantage of one or more groups.
.

7. Andy , Monday, March 04, 2024, 10:12:

Richard Tice has some good ideas, but he doesn’t seem to look for a proper Conservative solution to some problems.
I totally agree with him that we should leave the ECHR. It has become a political convention and has little to do with actual human rights.
On taxation what’s needed is a radical approach. Abolish progressive taxation and substitute it for a simple Flat Tax. Abolish Death Duties and abolish Corporation Tax, merely tax outputs from companies as was once the case.
You need benefits reform too and to radically shrink the size of the State. To do that have a line audit of every penny the State spends.

8. KB , Monday, March 04, 2024, 12:56:

It's certainly interesting that we are paying £35 billion a year in interest to the banks, on the QE money they were gifted.
That's a tax cut right there, but we never hear anything about it from the mainstream.
It will never happen will it.

9. Old Albion , Monday, March 04, 2024, 13:00:

HYW @ 6.
It appears the gov. cannot change VAT In any part of the (dis)UK. Due to the arrangements in N.Irelands governence. eg, the Eu is still in control, thanks to PM May and the Windsor framework.

10. LuxuryBalloon , Monday, March 04, 2024, 17:13:

Does this mean that if the boot was on the other foot and French navy boats dropped immigrants directly on our shores … we would just accept it? Because of some international treaties? If international treaties are out of date or not working for a country anymore, we would just cancel these international treaties unilaterally. A bit like we are going to do with the ECHR. France will do the same with those international treaties Tice is talking about.
I would hope we would fire a few shots across the bow of these French navy boats if they try and land on our shores … and send them packing. And if they don’t turn around … we aim at hitting them whee it hurts.

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