Richard Tice, deputy leader of Reform UK and MP for Boston and Skegness, now divides his time between the Lincolnshire seaside and the glitz of Dubai. His partner, journalist Isabel Oakeshott, has relocated to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), prompting Tice to juggle constituency duties with weekends in the Middle East.
“An Item” Across Continents
Although Oakeshott and her children moved to Dubai a few months ago, the couple insist they’re still very much together, grabbing quality time whenever schedules and Emirates flights allow. Tice admits the arrangement might seem a bit unusual, but he believes dipping his toe in international waters has its benefits.
“I occasionally go there and she occasionally comes here,” says Tice, cheerfully pointing out that he’s “totally committed” to his constituency and parliamentary work.
A Rising Party, A Distant Relationship
Tice was elected just six months ago as one of five Reform UK MPs, part of the right-wing group that replaced UKIP. According to recent polls, they’re now overtaking the Tories in popularity. But Tice insists that even with a busy schedule in the Commons—where he claims to be in the “top 10” of backbench speakers—he can’t resist Dubai’s allure.
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“The UK is on the slide,” Tice laments, blaming high tax and net-zero policies for driving “smart people” abroad.
Why Dubai?
Oakeshott is working from the Gulf as international editor for TalkTV and a columnist for The Daily Telegraph. She cites Labour’s “pernicious tax on private schools” as one of the reasons she chose Dubai for her children’s education.
“Endless opportunities… a booming economy,” says Oakeshott, adding that she supports Tice “in every possible way” while they share a vision for a wealth-creating Britain.
When asked if Nigel Farage—the leader of Reform—might pop over for a visit, Tice shrugs it off. Apparently, Farage has his own “international obligations,” though we can only guess what those might entail. Golfing in Florida, perhaps?
Either way, Tice says he’s eager to learn from Dubai’s success, building on his family’s ties to the city, which started in the 1970s with their first skyscraper. While he describes the UK’s current trajectory as “hell in a handcart,” Tice is determined to reverse that slide—even if it means commuting from 3,500 miles away.
