Brexit has been squandered and migration is making the average Brit poorer: Farage
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage says the UK has squandered the opportunities offered by Brexit by being too overzealous with regulation.
Presenting his party’s economic polices in a presentation in London on Monday (3 November), Farage says Britain has been ‘living under illusion’ and has not faced up to how serious the ‘economic mess’ really is.
“I think for some years we’ve actually been living under an illusion. We’ve not been prepared to face up to just how much of an economic mess we genuinely in.
“As we slipped down the global league tables, we kid ourselves that it’s OK, we’ve got GDP growth. But there wouldn’t have been any GDP growth over the course of the last few years if it weren’t for mass migration on a scale hitherto never even contemplated,” he said.
Part of the blame for this economic slide is that the country did not take advantage of leaving the European Union, he said. “Brexit has been squandered. The opportunity to sensibly deregulate the opportunity to become competitive globally – all of that has been squandered.
“And the worst thing is that regulations and the way regulators behave with British business are now worse than it was at the time of the Brexit referendum vote. And I apply that with knowledge from everything from the financial services industry to the fishing industry.”
Farage also took aim at the country’s immigration policies, which he warned would continue to damage the economy. “I think we can argue very strongly that, on an individual basis, mass migration has made the average Briton poorer.”
The Reform UK leader said he aimed to make Britain a country of rich people. This includes relaxing tax regulations and appointing ministers who have experience in their role.
“So let me make it clear. I want as many high-earning people as possible living in this country, paying as much tax as they legally have to. Because if the rich leave and the rich don’t pay tax, then the poorer in society will all have to pay more tax. It’s as simple as that.
“What we’re doing is crazy, and we need those people back.”
