Minister Issues Stark Warning Over Farage's Immigration Proposals
Reform UK's immigration policies could ignite a trade war with the European Union with consequences far more severe than those triggered by Donald Trump's tariffs, a senior government minister has warned. European affairs minister Nick Thomas-Symonds, tasked with renegotiating the UK's post-Brexit relationship with the EU under Keir Starmer's administration, delivered this stark assessment in an exclusive interview.
Dismissing Farage as 'Not a Serious Candidate'
Mr Thomas-Symonds dismissed Reform leader Nigel Farage as "not a serious candidate for prime minister" while outlining the potential economic fallout. He emphasised that Reform's plans to dismantle the settled status deal for EU citizens would likely provoke a trade conflict even before attempting to withdraw from other agreements.
"If you think that Boris Johnson left us with a bad deal, think about what Nigel Farage would do in power," the minister told The Independent. "We know that the emissions trading system and the food and drink agreement together are worth up to £9 billion pounds a year to the economy by 2040, and he's already said he would take that away."
Immigration Policies at the Heart of the Dispute
The warning comes ahead of a crucial 48-hour period for UK-EU relations, featuring a meeting of the UK/EU parliamentary assembly and a major speech by Chancellor Rachel Reeves. Ms Reeves is expected to echo concerns about Reform's immigration policies, which include stripping welfare payments from non-British citizens and tearing up the settled status deal negotiated before the UK's 2020 departure from the bloc.
Highlighting Reform's draconian immigration plans unveiled last month in Dover, Mr Thomas-Symonds added: "Farage is also talking about taking all welfare support away from EU settled citizens. Frankly with that we probably would end up with us in some sort of trade war with the EU. That really isn't what we need."
Economic Consequences and Trade Volume
When asked if such a trade war would be worse than Trump's tariffs, the minister responded unequivocally: "It would, because trade with the EU is so much bigger, over to about £800 billion worth of trade a year. What does that mean? It means risking prices in the shops going up. It means putting jobs at risk. These are not things that are in our national interest, that's not a serious policy."
He further warned that Farage's approach would jeopardise recent progress in constructive EU collaboration, particularly on the 'Made in Europe' agenda designed to prevent additional trade barriers. "Nigel Farage would put all that at risk," he stated.
Reform UK's Response and Counterarguments
Reform UK swiftly rejected the minister's claims, accusing Labour of "scaremongering." A party spokesperson asserted: "Reform UK believes the welfare system should support those who have paid into it, not act as an open-ended entitlement. The idea that putting British taxpayers first would somehow spark a trade war with the EU is ridiculous."
Reform's business and trade spokesman, deputy leader Richard Tice, countered at a Westminster press conference: "Why would you want to handcuff yourself ever closer to any failing economic model? It's the last thing in the world we should be doing. So, of course, we'll look at everything in the round."
Mr Tice defended the party's stance on immigration benefits: "Why should we pay anybody to come to our country and then pay them benefits? In the nicest possible way, you're lucky enough to come and live in this country, please do contribute, work, integrate, spin the lingo, fantastic. But we can't afford to pay people to sit at home on their backsides if they come in the UK. It's simple as that."
Brexit as a Political Dividing Line
Mr Thomas-Symonds believes Brexit will emerge as "an important dividing line" with both Reform UK and Kemi Badenoch's Conservatives in the upcoming election. However, he has also cautioned pro-EU supporters that the UK will not rejoin the bloc or enter a customs union, emphasising a pragmatic reset in talks.
Despite a recent BMG poll indicating 45% support for rejoining the EU versus 37% against, the minister argues that public sentiment aligns with the Starmer government's "ruthless pragmatism." He explained: "I'm talking to people up and down the country on a weekly basis, and there is support for the closer relationship that we have already built and are building but no appetite to reopen the debates of the past."
Concluding his remarks, Mr Thomas-Symonds positioned Labour as the party delivering tangible benefits: "We are the ones who will be delivering for the British public, delivering on living standards, delivering on jobs, delivering on law enforcement and immigration. And I very much welcome the debate at the next election, if the Conservatives and Reform want to take all that away."
