Adam Chapman
Guest Reporter
Reform UK's deputy leader Richard Tice has unveiled a "common sense" plan to trounce the Labour Party at the next General Election in 2029.
It comes days after a new poll found voters now feel more positive about Reform UK than they do about Labour.
The poll, conducted by JL Partners on October 11 to 13, found that out of 2,000 adults, 28 per cent of voters had a very or quite positive view of Nigel Farage’s party, while 27 per cent felt the same way about Labour.
The Reform UK leader also had a more popular rating than the current prime minister, holding a 27 per cent favourable rating compared to Sir Keir Starmer's 24 per cent.
In an exclusive interview with GB News, Richard Tice sketched out a plan to maintain his party's momentum into 2029 - and it's all about the messaging.
"It's very simple. Our policies are common sense," the Reform MP said.
How does he plan to sweep up red wall seats? Tice says he will drive home a simple message of "patriotism" to Labour voters, targeting "pubs and clubs up and down the country".
Reform's deputy leader feels this simple message crosses political lines: "Politics is moving on from left and right to who is patriotic about this country and has the policies to make the lowest paid better off and will protect the culture and heritage of this great nation."
Reform's laser-like focus on bread-and-butter issues is already gaining traction in Labour's heartland, Tice tells your correspondent.
He said: "We held a debate on the steel industry in Westminster hall and I held the Labour Government to account and put a marker down. I told them: 'Don't you dare close a blast furnace in a Labour heartland in Scunthorpe', so we are already holding Labour to account. I've been involved in this debate for five and a half years. We are already making it clear what's acceptable and what's not."
The Reform MP was referring to reports last month that Jingye, the Chinese owner of British Steel, was preparing to bring forward plans to close its blast furnaces in Lincolnshire as talks with the government over a £500 million state aid package to move to greener forms of production have stalled.
The move puts thousands of jobs at British Steel’s flagship Scunthorpe site - a safe Labour seat - at risk.
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During the Westminster Hall debate last week, Tice urged the Government to publish its steel strategy in “a matter of weeks”.
The strategy will look at how to increase steel capacity in the UK and is set to be published in spring 2025.
A Government spokesman said: “This Government will simply not allow the end of steelmaking in the UK. That’s why we’ve committed to £2.5 billion of investment to rebuild the UK steel industry and support communities now and for generations to come.
“We’re working across government, in partnership with trade unions and businesses, to secure a green steel transition that’s right for the workforce and safeguards the future of the steel industry in Britain.”
Tice says he will continue to hammer these issues home until every Labour-held seat flips to Reform.
"When people hear about Reform, they look at what we stand for. They hear us speak and say: 'That's how I feel about the country. That's common sense.'"
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