Nigel Farage told 'sums don't add up' in Reform UK manifesto just hours after its published

Economists said the sums in Reform UK's manifesto 'do not add up'

Nigel Farage has been told his plans don’t add up as he unveiled plans for a £140billion tax-slashing splurge which paves the way for swingeing cuts to public services.

The Reform UK leader admitted he had no chance of winning the General Election with the “contract” for voters - but claimed he was gunning to be PM in 2029.

The blueprint contains draconian plans to freeze all non-essential immigration, slap taxes on firms hiring foreign workers and to pushback migrant boats in the Channel. It also vows to strip people of their benefits if they fail to find a job within four months.

Reform UK’s plans also include bumper giveaways, including plans to raise the income tax threshold from £12,571 to £20,000, while raising the higher rate threshold from £50,000 to £70,000.

Stamp duty would be scrapped on properties worth less than £750,000 and inheritance tax would be axed on estates worth less than £2million. Reform claims these huge commitments can be funded by "slashing public sector back office bureaucracy" worth £50billion a year.

But in reality it is likely to mean swingeing cuts to vital services. Carl Emmerson, deputy director of the IFS, said: “Even with the extremely optimistic assumptions about how much economic growth would increase, the sums in this manifesto do not add up.

"Whilst Reform’s manifesto gives a clear sense of priority, a government could only implement parts of this package, or would need to find other ways to help pay for it, which would mean losers not specified.” He said Reform’s plans to save cash would “require much more than a crackdown on waste; it would almost certainly require substantial cuts to the quantity or quality of public services”