Richard Tice to unveil Reform UK plans for business and trade ‘super department’
In his speech on Tuesday, Richard Tice will unveil Reform UK’s proposal for a new “super department” covering business, trade, energy and housing.
The initiative follows his recent appointment by Nigel Farage as the party’s business, trade and energy spokesman.
The proposed government body will aim to increase economic growth to 4 percent.
Mr Tice will also detail Reform UK’s plans to scrap what he calls “ridiculous regulations”, including existing net zero commitments, if elected to government.
It will say: “This new Major Government Department, covering Business, Trade and Energy (including housing), will be a combined, comprehensive department that also includes the British Sovereignty Fund.
“Speed and action will be the order of the day. This will be a first for the UK and a co-ordinated, strategic, long-term structure that has served other entrepreneurial and high-growth countries so well.”
Mr Tice will set out plans to overhaul housing and planning and cut waste on “pointless projects”, as well as ditching current government policies including the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate and the strengthening of employment rights as a flagship.
“Let’s have a Great Repeal Bill that scraps ridiculous regulations: scrap net zero, scrap the Zev instructions, scrap the new employment rights rules, scrap the new property rental rules – all well-intentioned but killing jobs, hindering growth, investment and prosperity.
“All this will help reduce inflation and reduce consumers’ bills,” he will say.
Instead, Reform UK will increase domestic oil and gas production and maximize the UK’s “energy bonanza” both onshore and offshore.
Mr Tice will also call for heavy tariffs and strict quotas on Chinese cars, while promising to classify the automotive sector and some other sectors as “seismic industries” under the UK’s Reform Trade Policy.
He will talk about plans to create a new British sovereign wealth fund to support British companies and buy British products, comparing it with similar funds in Norway and Singapore.
