FOREIGN nationals will be banned from claiming benefits – the Tories have vowed in a bid to tackle Reform’s surging popularity.
The Opposition say they can cut nearly £50billion from government spending in plans to be unveiled by Shadow Chancellor Sir Mel Stride today.
Sir Mel Stride, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, speaks to the media on day two of the Conservative party conference[/caption]
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is stealing a march on Downing Street[/caption]
Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer, during the Leader’s keynote speech at the Labour Party Annual Conference last month[/caption]
The plans will see welfare, foreign aid and the size of the civil service slashed, and also reining in Net Zero, in a bid to pave the way for more stable public finances and cut taxes.
Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves has to find £30billion to fill the financial black hole at the Budget — as the UK grapples with mounting debt.
It comes after Reform UK leader Nigel Farage pledged to ban all foreign nationals from claiming benefits and scrap permanent residency rights.
Another poll last week showed Reform continuing to steal a march on Downing Street – with the Tories and Labour scrambling to catch up.
The More in Common survey said Reform would win a staggering 373 seats if an election were held tomorrow – handing the Reform UK leader a Commons majority of 96, bigger than Boris Johnson’s 2019 landslide.
Britain ‘can’t keep spending money we don’t have’
In a speech to the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, Sir Mel will warn Britain can’t “keep spending money we simply don’t have”.
The proposals include axing sickness benefits for people deemed to have “low level” mental health conditions – and they would also lose the right to access social housing in the future.
Sir Mel will also layout plans for greater requirements to look for work and claim housing benefit – with predicted savings of £23 billion a year.
Tory welfare spokesperson Helen Whately also pledged the rules around the Mobility scheme will be tightened, which provides subsidised cars for those on sickness benefits.
In a column for the Daily Mail, she said: “We know what it will take to get people off benefits and working again. We will make sure only those who need help get it.
“That includes putting a stop to sickness benefits for low-level mental health problems like anxiety.
“No more free Motability cars for ADHD and tennis elbow. And a return to face to face assessments and job centre meetings.”
Proposals to cut the civil service by a quarter are also predicted to save £8billion annually.
Foreign aid budget would be reduced to 0.1% of GDP, saving another £7billion a year.
Sir Mel will identify savings totalling £47 billion – with enough funds freed up to cut taxes equal to around 6p off the basic rate of income tax.
He will say: “The Conservative Party will never, ever make fiscal commitments without spelling out exactly how they will be paid for. We cannot deliver stability unless we live within our means.
“No more pretending we can keep spending money we simply do not have.”
The Tories also say they will save £1.6billion in ineffective Net Zero policies.
And a pledge to remove any migrants who arrive illegally in the UK will save £3.5billion in hotel spending.
The Institute of Economic Affairs said proposals had failed to address pension costs.
The Office for Budget Responsibility said, in the long run, the pensions triple lock would be “unsustainable”.
Labour party chair Anna Turley insisted: “The Tories want to rehash their failed manifesto to solve problems they have caused.”
Reeves also put cuts to asylum spending at the “top of the list” to help plug the nation’s finances, Treasury sources previously said.
The cost of operating the asylum system was £5.4 billion in 2023. Plans to end asylum hotels by 2029 is set to save £1 billion a year.
Taxpayers are being ‘hammered’
Mr Farage said last month taxpayers are being “hammered” to fund migrants and declared Britain “is not the world’s food bank.”
Unveiling his blueprint in London, Mr Farage vowed to abolish Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) – the status that allows migrants to settle permanently and access welfare – within 100 days of taking power.
He said all current residents would be forced onto five-year renewable visas with strict conditions, including tougher salary thresholds, fluent English, a “good character” test and a clean criminal record.
Those caught claiming handouts or spending more than 90 days outside the country would automatically lose their right to stay.
Mr Farage warned the so-called “Boriswave” of mass arrivals since Brexit could swamp the system, with up to 800,000 migrants eligible for settlement from January.
He said the long-term price tag for taxpayers would be a staggering £230billion.
Mr Farage blasted: “Under a Reform government welfare will be for UK citizens only.
“It will not be for foreign-born nationals.
“Indeed we’ll become like most normal countries in the world.”
He added: “This is grossly unfair on taxpayers.
“They are being absolutely hammered to pay for people who are not British citizens.
“We are not the world’s food bank. It is not for us to provide welfare for people coming in from all over the world.”
Party leader Kemi Badenoch delivers a speech yesterday[/caption]
The Tories are proposing plans to drastically cut government spending[/caption]
Conservative party signage is displayed at Manchester Central Convention Complex today[/caption]
