Reform UK appoints free-market economist Mitchell Palmer as economic adviser
The appointment of Adam Smith Institute economist Mitchell Palmer signals a shift towards liberal economic policies, raising questions about the party’s stance on the pensions triple lock and NHS privatisation.
Reform UK’s economic spokesperson, Robert Jenrick, has appointed Mitchell Palmer, a right-wing economist at the Adam Smith Institute, as a key economic adviser. The move is seen as an attempt to bolster the party’s economic credentials, though Palmer’s background in economic liberalism places him to the right of Reform’s existing policy platform in several areas.
Palmer has previously called the pensions triple lock unsustainable, arguing that it is an expensive method of protecting pensioners. In an April appearance on GB News, he stated that he disagreed with Jenrick’s decision to back the policy, which guarantees that the state pension will rise by the highest of earnings, inflation, or 2.5 per cent every year. Nigel Farage, the Reform leader, had previously suggested the triple lock policy would be “up for debate”.
Beyond pension policy, Palmer has advocated for the privatisation of the National Health Service. On a podcast hosted by former Conservative MP Steve Baker, Palmer described the NHS as a “horrifically performing system” with lower cancer survival rates and obvious rationing. He also supported economic migration as a tool for poverty alleviation, a view that may present a potential conflict with Reform’s current positions on immigration.
The appointment occurs amid internal tensions within the party regarding the balance between tax cuts and welfare reductions. Jenrick recently announced that Reform would make steep cuts to welfare if elected, totalling £50 billion a year by 2030. According to a leaked government analysis, these cuts could reduce incomes by up to £10,000 a year for individuals with terminal illnesses and permanent disabilities.
Signs of resistance to Jenrick’s agenda have emerged from within Reform. Home affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf recently posted on X questioning the honour of individuals with the title “Right Honourable”, a move interpreted as a challenge to Jenrick’s position. Jenrick holds the title, as do several other Conservative defectors to Reform, including Suella Braverman and Nadine Dorries.
A Reform spokesperson responded to the appointment by stating that Jenrick believes in hiring smart people with whom he disagrees. Palmer, who previously worked in the New Zealand parliament, has also argued for ending VAT exemptions and imposing a land tax, further underscoring the free-market direction of the party’s economic strategy.
