By GB News (Politics) | Created at 2026-10-05 16:06:42 | Updated at 2026-10-05 17:48:16
1 hour ago
The Conservatives have been accused of copy-pasting Reform UK policies and "trying to fix problems they created" after unveiling their plans to slash Britain's red tape.
Shadow Chancellor Andrew Griffith hailed "the biggest deregulation project in a generation", as he announced a host of policies intended to "reinvigorate" the country at the party conference in Birmingham today.
Such measures include weekly grocery bills by eliminating so-called "polluter pays" charges levied on packaging manufacturers and reducing the cost of new homes by approximately £50,000 by sweeping away "gold plated regulations".
This morning, Mr Griffith told GB News he would use his speech today to set out how "to save taxpayers' money and allow them to keep more of what they earn".
But Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice has accused the Tories of "copying" policies announced by his party "weeks and months ago".
He said: "They are pledging to scrap some costs regulations and taxes they put in place! They are trying to fix problems they created.
"Never forget and never forgive."
Mr Griffith has insisted his party has "changed" under the Kemi Badenoch's leadership.
The Shadow Chancellor unveiled what he touted as 'the biggest deregulation project in a generation'
Mr Tice's comments come after his party warned the Conservatives "cannot be trusted" when it comes to tax.
Responding to Mr Griffith's pledge to slash taxes in his first Budget, Reform UK wrote on social media: "Never forget the Tories hit working people with the highest tax burden since World War II.
"They can’t be trusted. Only Reform UK will raise your tax-free personal allowance to £15,000."
In his keynote speech to the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham, the Shadow Chancellor admitted his party had not governed as conservatives while in power.
Richard Tice has accused the Tories of 'copying' policies announced by his party 'weeks and months ago'
PA
He said: “For those of us who believe in free markets, in enterprise, in lowering the burden of regulation, that (Britain’s economic difficulty) is partly our failure, because for too long we failed to properly make our case.
“Despite Ronald Reagan celebrating Britain as the birthplace of economic freedom, in government we allowed restrictions on everything from the type of car you could buy, how you could heat your home, to banning adverts for certain types of yoghurt."
The Shadow Chancellor vowed to make “lower, simpler and fairer taxes" his "North Star" should he be handed the keys to No11.
Mr Griffith insisted he "did not come here to raise taxes, but to lower them" as he warned "no country in history has ever taxed its way to prosperity".
He told attendees: "We will cut taxes, but only when we can afford to do so and always saying clearly how we will fund that within our golden economic rule.
Andrew Griffith said his party was bracing to inherit 'one of the worst economic situations in history' from Andy Burnham
“We’ve already set out some of our plans, scrapping the family farm and family business death tax, removing the spiteful VAT on independent schools and cutting business rates for a quarter of a million pubs, shops and high street businesses.”
The Shadow Chancellor also warned his party will be forced "to make the hard choices" as his party braces to inherit "one of the worst economic situations in history" from Labour.
He told party members: "We will have to be the ones to make the hard choices and tackle the debt, to help our country live within its means.
“As a finance director for more than a decade, I long ago made peace with the idea that you can strive to be respected, but you should not expect to be popular.”
Reform UK's Treasury spokesman, Robert Jenrick, offered a blunt assessment of the Shadow Chancellor's speach, writing on social media: "That wasn’t exactly a rip-roar."
