Tim Montgomerie, a high-profile defector from the Conservatives to Reform UK, faced a tough grilling on BBC Question Time over his new party’s eye-watering promises—and confessed they’re yet to be costed properly.
🧾 “The numbers do not add up at present”
Presenter Fiona Bruce pressed Montgomerie on leader Nigel Farage’s pledges to:
- Reinstate £300 winter fuel payments for all pensioners
- Scrap the two-child benefit cap
- Raise the income tax threshold to £20,000
Bruce quoted Montgomerie:
“You said as far as you’re concerned, the numbers do not add up at present.”
Montgomerie conceded:
“I don’t think they do at the moment, but lifting the two-child cap is a policy that will cost £3–4 billion.”
💷 “Small change” compared to bigger bills
Montgomerie argued that, by comparison, other government outlays dwarf Reform’s proposals:
“Covid cost this country £350 billion, we’re about to spend £150 billion on our army over the next 10–15 years, and bank bailouts cost £25 billion. This is small change.”
He insisted it’s unfair to demand full spreadsheets three years before an election when fiscal contexts can shift dramatically.
📊 “But you’re not unreasonable…”
Bruce countered:
“If you plan to raise the threshold to £20,000, reintroduce winter fuel payments and lift the two-child cap, it’s not unreasonable to have some idea how you might find the money for that.”
Montgomerie’s reply:
“You can draw your own conclusions. Nigel Farage has refused to commit to the pensions triple lock if he becomes prime minister.”
He shrugged off calls for detailed costing now:
“When I joined Reform I told Nigel I would speak honestly—and here I am, honest three years out from an election.”
You can watch it below:
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