Farage’s Brexit Party Launches ‘Contract with the British People’

Nigel Farage will announce his party’s “contract with the people” on Friday where he pledges to cap immigration to 50,000a year, announce tax breaks for small businesses, and reform of Britain’s political system.

Ditching the “one of the least trusted” words in the English language — “manifesto” — Mr Farage wrote in The Telegraph that “the Brexit Party is instead launching a contract with the British people. We trust that this word speaks for itself.”

“Parties make promises in their manifestos which they think voters want to hear, yet have no intention of keeping them,” the MEP said in condemnation of mainstream politicians.

Nigel Farage and Labour Leavers had criticised Jeremy Corbyn for pledging to hold a second referendum in his latest manifesto after promising in his 2017 party document to respect the result of the 2016 referendum.

While the Conservative Party’s former Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne admitted in 2017 that his party never intended to stick by its manifesto promises to reduce immigration “from the hundreds of thousands to the tens of thousands” while in government.

Mr Farage highlighted this deception, writing: “The last three Tory manifestos have promised to reduce net migration to tens of thousands per year. They have failed spectacularly.”

While standing for a “clean break Brexit”, the party also aims to push for a “much-needed political revolution” to “restore faith” in the system, with the past three-and-a-half years of Brexit delay proof that “UK politics is broken”.

Writing that the UK needs “a voting system that is more representative of people’s views”, Mr Farage’s party vows to “abolish the House of Lords”.

“Having been degraded by successive party leaders who have stuffed it full of cronies, it is not fit for purpose in the 21st century and must be replaced with an elected chamber,” he said.

He also said that the voting system “must also be honest”, and promises to eradicate the “intimidation and fraud” that has been permeating the postal voting system for the past 20 years, reserving the option only for the “elderly, infirm, or those working overseas”.

Noting that population is growing at half a million a year, Mr Farage called for the return of “post-war norms” for immigration, with caps set at a “practical” 50,000 per year for those wanting to settle permanently in the country with temporary work permits to cover gaps in labour.

“We must also tackle illegal immigration,” the Brexit Party chief added, observing that “our Border Force has for months been acting as a ferry service across the English Channel.

“Almost nobody picked up and brought to the UK by our own officials is removed. This is unsustainable. We need to hear more from Johnson on his proposed amnesty for illegal migrants. Wouldn’t it lead to larger numbers coming in future?”

The Brexit Party is also offering a helping hand to Britain’s small businesses, calling for a £10,000 tax-free allowance for small start-up firms to help them grow.