Reform UK’s new economic adviser has previously called the pensions triple lock unsustainable, advocated privatising the NHS and welcomed migration as a poverty alleviation tool, the Guardian can reveal.
Robert Jenrick, Reform’s economic spokesperson, has appointed Mitchell Palmer, a rightwing economist at the free-market Adam Smith Institute, as one of his key aides.
Palmer’s background is as a champion of economic liberalism, in many cases putting him to the right of Reform’s existing policy platform. His appointment comes amid tensions within the party between those who want to lean into its tax-cutting agenda and those who worry that steep cuts to welfare and other government spending will alienate voters.
Palmer has previously called for the abolition of the triple lock, arguing it is an expensive and unsustainable way to protect pensioners.
He told GB News in April that he disagreed with Jenrick’s decision to back the triple lock, which guarantees that the state pension will rise by the highest of earnings, inflation and 2.5% every year. Nigel Farage, the Reform leader, had previously suggested the policy would be “up for debate”.
Palmer told the news channel: “The triple lock is an expensive way to ensure that pensioners have dignity in their retirement. There are ways that you can do that without the unpredictable ratcheting effect that the triple lock has.
“Pensioners almost by definition are made better off in real terms than workers and that obviously is, one, unsustainable as the number of pensioners that each worker has to pay for increases, but, two, can be seen by those younger generations as somewhat unfair.”
In a separate media appearance, this time on a podcast hosted by the former Conservative MP Steve Baker, he argued for the privatisation of the NHS. Asked by Baker if it was time to privatise the service, he replied: “Well it’s long past time, Steve.”
He went on to add: “The reality is the NHS is a horrifically performing system. It establishes much lower cancer survival rates. It has obvious rationing – we all know that when we try and get a GP appointment or a specialist appointment. It has a pretty bad safety record – that’s not for lack of spending.”
At times his commitment to liberal economics seems to go against Reform’s main policy positions. In 2020, when working in the New Zealand parliament, he argued online for the benefits of economic migration, posting: “Hot take: Allowing people in from abroad who choose to come to NZ and earn *significantly* more than they would at home is not slavery. In fact, it is one of the best contributions we can make to global poverty alleviation.”
Some of his other views include ending VAT exemptions and imposing a land tax.
A Reform spokesperson said: “Unlike the Guardian, Robert believes in hiring smart people with whom he disagrees.”
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A Labour source said: “Reform have long talked up selling off the NHS to the highest bidder and going after ordinary people’s rights. It’s no surprise they’re hiring a brainchild of those types of damaging policies. Nigel Farage’s party have already shown the public who they are. It’s time to believe them.”
Jenrick is bolstering his team at the same time as he is looking to stamp his authority on his party’s economic agenda.
Earlier this week he announced Reform would make steep cuts to welfare if it was elected, which he said would total £50bn a year by 2030. Those cuts mean even people with terminal illnesses and permanent disabilities would be likely to have their incomes slashed by up to £10,000 a year, according to a leaked government analysis seen by the Guardian.
There are signs of resistance to Jenrick’s position from within Reform, however.
Earlier this week the party’s home affairs spokesperson, Zia Yusuf, posted on X: “Have you noticed the people with ‘Right Honourable’ in their titles are among the most dishonourable people in the country?”
Jenrick has the title of “right honourable”, which denotes membership of the privy council, as do several others who have defected from the Conservatives to Reform, including Suella Braverman and Nadine Dorries.
