Starmer Criticizes Farage’s £80bn Economic Plans Amid Poll Surge

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has launched a strong critique of Nigel Farage's Reform UK party, accusing it of proposing 'fantasy economics' that risk destabilizing the economy. Starmer likened Farage's economic plans, which include raising the income tax personal allowance to £20,000 and scrapping the two-child benefit cap, to Liz Truss's 2022 mini-budget, which led to a financial crisis due to unfunded tax cuts. The Institute for Fiscal Studies estimates that Farage's flagship tax cut could cost between £50 billion and £80 billion annually, creating a substantial fiscal gap. Starmer warned that these policies would use family finances as a "gambling chip," potentially leading to increased mortgage and bill costs, echoing the fallout from Truss's failed economic strategy. Reform UK defends its proposals as targeted at helping British families and claims savings could be found by cutting net zero policies and other government expenses, though critics remain unconvinced. The intensity of Starmer's attacks highlights the political threat Reform UK poses, as it leads in national opinion polls ahead of Labour and the Conservatives.