Farage pledges to scrap two-child benefit cap and reverse winter fuel cut in pitch to Labour voters

ITV News

27-05-2025

Nigel Farage has pledged to reverse the winter fuel cut and scrap the two child benefit cap, as he tries to position Reform UK as the main opposition to Labour.
The Reform UK leader accused Sir Keir Starmer of "betrayal" in a major speech on Tuesday, declaring "this prime minister has no connection with working people".
Flanked by council leaders, mayors and Runcorn MP Sarah Pochin, Farage said "lifting the two child cap is the right thing to do", and "we would reverse the taking away of the winter fuel allowance".
In the speech he also promised tax breaks for married couples to encourage them to have bigger families, telling the audience in London "we've lost our sense of focus of just how important family is".
Reform had huge success in the recent local elections, winning the Runcorn and Helsby by-election, taking control of six councils and winning two major mayoral contests.
Labour defended Starmer the son of a toolmaker, against the privately-educated 'stockbroker and career politician'.
Farage dubbed the PM a "globalist" who "bows down to the concept of international law", criticising his deal with the EU announced last week and his deal with the Chagos Islands.
After coming under increasing pressure to change course on a number of controversial policies in recent weeks, last week the prime minister announced a partial U-turn on winter fuel.
Starmer told MPs at Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday his government wants "to ensure more pensioners are eligible" for winter fuel payments.
There had been suggestions the government would raise the threshold at which people are no longer eligible for the payments, but reports now indicate the Treasury is considering restoring the allowance to all but the very richest pensioners.
The Observer newspaper also reported on Sunday that the PM wants to scrap the two-child benefit cap and has ordered the Treasury to find money to fund it. The announcement is expected to be made as part of the government's child poverty strategy which is due to be published in the Autumn.
While Reform UK's new plans announced today are aimed at targeting Labour voters, many of their other policies are much more right-wing. They have pledged to scrap inheritance tax for estates under £2 million, and said they will "re-examine" the NHS funding model.
Their election manifesto also promised to raise the minimum income tax threshold to £20,000 a year, scrap the net zero target, put tax breaks on private school fees, and leave the European Convention on Human Rights.
Farage accepted his plans "are expensive", but insisted "we can pay for it". He said his party is "going to make big savings", by "scrap[ping] the DEI agenda", closing all asylum hotels, and getting rid of the net zero target.
The Reform leader was also asked about a campaign video labelled "racist" by Labour and the SNP.
Reform have come under fire over the Facebook video which claims the Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar leader will 'prioritise' the Pakistani community in Scotland.
Playing the video to journalists at the press conference, Farage accused Sarwar of "introduc[ing] sectarianism into Scottish politics".
Responding to the speech, Labour Party chairwoman Ellie Reeves said: 'Nigel Farage, a private-educated stockbroker and career politician, has only ever cared about his own self-interest and personal ambition, never about what is good for working people in this country.
'Farage wants to abolish the NHS, praised Liz Truss' disastrous mini-budget, opposed Labour's landmark employment reforms and said Jaguar Land Rover, a huge employer, deserves to go bust.
'His Reform manifesto included billions of pounds worth of unfunded spending pledges but did not commit to the triple lock. Farage must urgently clarify whether he will cut the state pension to pay for his reckless tax cuts."