Reform UK’s deputy leader, Richard Tice, a wealthy individual, faced scrutiny over his qualifications to criticize Angela Rayner in a recent BBC interview. Tice harshly criticized Rayner’s position as Deputy Prime Minister, calling it morally bankrupt and indefensible. Rayner’s future is uncertain pending an investigation by Keir Starmer’s adviser regarding the stamp duty she paid for an £800k seaside property in Hove, with the PM’s ethics adviser expected to release a report imminently.
During the interview, Tice was reminded of a previous report by The Mirror in 2024 about his family’s offshore trust in the Channel Islands. Tice defended himself by highlighting his international business experience across 12 countries on five continents and asserted that he always paid his taxes as a UK citizen, emphasizing that he no longer uses offshore trusts.
When questioned about his frequent travels to Dubai to visit his partner, Tice evaded the query and criticized the VAT increase on private school fees imposed by Chancellor Rachel Reeves earlier this year, a move that led his partner, Isabel Oakeshott, to relocate to Dubai.
Moreover, Tice seemed to backtrack on Reform UK’s manifesto commitments from the last general election, suggesting that the manifesto might not be suitable as a contract for future elections. He expressed readiness to adapt to any challenges the government may face at the time of the next election.
Ellie Reeves MP, Chair of the Labour Party, responded to Tice’s interview by accusing Reform of lacking substantive answers and being more focused on inciting economic sanctions against Britain, which she deemed unpatriotic. Farage and his associates were criticized for their inability to provide clear spending plans pledged over a year ago, with Reeves suggesting that their actions could harm British jobs and working people.