More support, fairer prices, less migration, says Reform UK

A boost to the farm budget, greater protection for farmland and a fairer supply chain are among the promises being made by Reform UK as part of its pre-election manifesto.

Launched by party leader Nigel Farage in Merthyr Tydfil on Tuesday (17 June), the so-called ‘Contract with you’ promises to raise the farm budget to £3bn within 100 days, up from the current £2.4bn in England.

See also: Labour commits to ELM, but is silent on farming budget

Taking the form of direct payments, this money would be used to “keep farmland in use… helping farmers to farm, not to leave or retire”.

Reform UK has also pledged to scrap climate-related farming subsidies, stating that “productive land must be farmed, not used for solar farms or rewilding”.

And it would look to grant more powers to the Competition and Markets Authority, to ensure fairer prices to farmers. It also has a 70% food self-sufficiency target.

‘No chance’

Delivering his speech, Mr Farage admitted the party has no chance of forming the next government.

“But we are going to provide a voice of opposition,” he said, adding that it was already eyeing up the next general election (maybe in 2029).

With regards to migrant labour, Reform UK says it wants to see “smart immigration not mass immigration”.

It would therefore freeze non-essential immigration immediately, though with some exceptions, such as healthcare.

The party also has a policy of making employers pay 20% National Insurance on foreign workers’ wages.