Reform UK unveils £2bn apprenticeship subsidy amid internal dispute
Deputy leader Richard Tice defends suspension of senior activist while announcing a wage credit scheme funded by cuts to foreign student loans.
Reform UK has announced a new policy to subsidise apprenticeships, estimated to cost between £1.5bn and £2bn over a five-year parliament. The initiative, unveiled by deputy leader Richard Tice in Enfield, north London, includes a 30% wage credit for small and medium-sized businesses employing workers aged 16 to 18. The party stated the scheme would be partially funded by restricting taxpayer-funded student loans for foreign nationals and reducing support for specific university courses.
Tice made the announcement while defending the party’s decision to suspend senior activist Tim Montgomerie. Montgomerie, who defected from the Conservatives, was suspended after publicly criticising leader Nigel Farage for not attending the count for his Clacton byelection victory. Tice asserted that internal disagreements should remain private, comparing the desired internal culture to a corporate boardroom where debates occur behind closed doors before a unified message is presented to the public.
The apprenticeship policy also proposes a £2,000 retention bonus for workers who complete two additional years with their employer. Tice, who serves as the party’s business spokesperson, stated that Reform UK is not afraid of competition and that the party is beginning to climb in the polls despite recent challenges. He emphasised that while the party makes mistakes, it continues to push forward with its agenda.
Suella Braverman, the party’s education spokesperson and former Conservative cabinet minister, joined Tice at the press conference to detail the educational aspects of the policy. Braverman criticised certain university degrees as having little value, specifically citing gender studies and golf course studies. She warned students receiving their results not to waste time on "pointless degrees" at "mediocre universities," arguing that graduate outcomes should be the primary metric for evaluating course worthiness.
The policy announcement comes at a time when Reform UK has faced internal friction and external scrutiny. The party has recently dealt with questions regarding Farage’s financial affairs, including an investigation by parliament’s standards watchdog into a personal gift from a billionaire. Additionally, the party has experienced splits over the actions of home affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf, who described former defence secretary Ben Wallace as a "traitor."
Tice maintained that the party’s approach to internal dissent is necessary for a fast-growing political organisation. He stated that while a range of views exists within the party, the priority is to maintain a cohesive public front. The proposed funding mechanism for the apprenticeship subsidy relies heavily on the controversial move to ban all foreign students from accessing taxpayer-funded loans, a stance Braverman reinforced by questioning the necessity of certain academic disciplines.
