Reform's ludicrous ‘Britannia Card’ is a masterpiece in political manoeuvring | Faiza Shaheen

While it promises to enrich the poor, the proposal offers a subtle tax break to the wealthiest. But Farage knows better than Labour that headlines matter

In a political landscape where the traditional left struggles to even mention the working class, let alone articulate a compelling vision for them, Nigel Farage and Reform UK are playing a shrewd hand. This week they will add to their political momentum with a bold, headline-grabbing policy: the Britannia Card – a commitment to tax the rich to put money in the pockets of the poor. This isn’t just policy; it’s political theatre, designed to resonate deeply with an electorate hungry for tangible change, mixed with an idea of British patriotism.

Reform’s proposal is deceptively simple: anyone seeking to live in the UK must make an “entry contribution” of £250,000. This substantial sum, the policy pledges, would then be directly redistributed to the lowest 10% of earners, making 2.5 million people between £600 and £1,000 better off a year, depending on uptake.

Faiza Shaheen is a distinguished policy fellow at London School of Economics, and the incoming executive director of Tax Justice UK Continue reading...