Robert Jenrick has sent a “clear message” to GB News viewers following his major economic announcement today.
Sitting down with GB News Political Editor Christopher Hope, the newly-appointed Reform UK Shadow Chancellor assured Britons they can “trust” him to “look after their money”.
Laying out his plan earlier today, Mr Jenrick told a packed London press conference that he would tackle Britain’s ballooning benefits bill and restore the two-child benefit cap.
As Christopher grilled the Reform MP on his decision to vote to “lift the cap” in February, Mr Jenrick responded: “There isn’t any confusion, we’ve been very clear. Nigel and I have discussed it, and this policy came from a good place.
“We want to help British families to have kids and to bring them up properly, but we can’t afford it right now. The public finances are a mess as a result of Rachel Reeves’s mistakes, and we’ve got to restore fairness to taxpayers.”
He stressed: “It’s not right at the moment that so much money is going on welfare. We want to stop that waste so we can spend it on things like tax cuts for working people or on public services or things that the British public actually want to see.”
Declaring a Reform Government would be “for the working people and not welfare”, Mr Jenrick told GB News: “The public finances are in a bad place, we’ve got to restore discipline, and Reform is a party for working people, it is not a party of welfare.
“And so Nigel and I are completely aligned and be in no doubt that we’re going to bear down on the benefits bill. We’re going to restore fairness. We’re not going to waste the public’s money, and if we can get that right, then we can get the headroom, the fiscal space in time to cut people’s taxes.”
Robert Jenrick has assured GB News viewers they can ‘trust him’ with their money
|
GB NEWS
Delivering a “clear message” to GB News viewers, Mr Jenrick stated: “I want to send a very clear message to the great British public, to GB News viewers, that you can trust us with your money. I am going to be, as Chancellor, as careful with your money as you would be yourself.
“We believe in fiscal responsibility, bearing down on the welfare bill, stopping all this waste that we see at the moment the money on hotels, foreigners getting access to the benefits system, that’s all going to come to an end.
“We’re going to take real care with people’s money, more so than any other party in British politics.”
Outlining his plans for cuts to foreign aid and benefits for “foreigners”, he added: “We’re going to stop spending money on foreign aid, and we’re going to stop spending money on benefits to foreigners.
Robert Jenrick laid out Reform’s economic pitch in a press conference today
|
GB NEWS“We’re going to increase the immigration health surcharge because it’s a national health service, not an international health service, and so if you want to come here as our guest, you pay the proper price for it.”
Pressed by Christopher on whether the top rate of tax will be cut under Reform, Mr Jenrick admitted: “I would love to bring down people’s taxes, but the first thing we’ve got to do is cut out all the waste.
“And I’m not going to come on your programme today and make false promises on tax. We’ve seen that before, haven’t we? Look at Liz Truss’s mini budget, Rachel Reeves said no new tax rises, she increased taxes by £60billion.
“So people are very weary of chancellors making these promises only to break them. I want to ensure that everything Reform says is serious, rigorous, and fully costed.”
Robert Jenrick told GB News he will not make ‘false promises’ on tax
|
GB NEWS
Vowing to help rebuild industries in Britain, Mr Jenrick argued we should be “trying to industrialise” the country and provide “good jobs” for everybody.
He concluded: “We’ve got a proper industrial strategy so that we can take advantage of opportunities and technology, but we should also be trying to industrialise our country and to salvage and rebuild industries like car making, steel, chemicals, heavy industries that rely on energy in particular.
“And that’s the difference the Reform is going to offer. We’re going to scrap all of the mad net zero policies that, frankly, both parties have indulged in for too long, bring back cheap and reliable energy so that we can be competitive again.
“The thing with Reform is we know where we came from. We’re going to make sure that those people are properly looked after, bring down their bills, bring down their taxes, cut out the waste that they’re sick of and bring back good jobs for all parts of the country.”