'Economically illiterate': How Nigel Farage's net zero maths fail to add up – and could cost the UK £92bn

James Murray
clock • 7 min read
Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK
Image:

Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK

Reform has promised to save £45bn a year for tax cuts by 'scrapping' net zero, but the government spends nowhere near that much on decarbonisation

Could the Treasury save £45bn a year by scrapping the UK's net zero targets, unlocking in one swoop the money needed to reinstate the Winter Fuel Allowance, lift the two-child benefit cap, and fund massive...

To continue reading this article...

Join BusinessGreen

In just a few clicks you can start your free BusinessGreen Lite membership for 12 months, providing you access to:

  • Three complimentary articles per month covering the latest real-time news, analysis, and opinion from Europe’s leading source of information on the Green economy and business
  • Receive important and breaking news stories via our daily news alert
  • Our weekly newsletter with the best of the week’s green business news and analysis

Join now

 

Already a BusinessGreen member?

Login

James Murray
Author spotlight

James Murray

View profile
More from James Murray

Tories warned plan to axe carbon tax would 'hammer industry'

AA: Used EV prices fall for fifth straight quarter

More on Politics

Tories warned plan to axe carbon tax would 'hammer industry'
Politics

Tories warned plan to axe carbon tax would 'hammer industry'

Conservatives pledge to axe UK's carbon pricing regime, sparking warnings proposals would hit tax revenues, undermine investment, and trigger levies on exports to the EU

James Murray
James Murray
clock 02 April 2026 • 6 min read
'This time will be different': Starmer seeks closer ties with EU to bolster UK energy security
Politics

'This time will be different': Starmer seeks closer ties with EU to bolster UK energy security

Prime Minister says he is 'sick and tired' of energy bills fluctuating due to fossil fuel volatility, as he reiterates need to ramp up domestic clean power capacity

James Murray
James Murray
clock 01 April 2026 • 8 min read
Climate action must protect people's lives – and their livelihoods
Politics

Climate action must protect people's lives – and their livelihoods

True climate leadership means using the transition to improve lives through good jobs, protecting communities from climate impacts and reducing inequality, writes Scotland's Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy Gillian Martin

Gillian Martin MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy in Scotland
clock 01 April 2026 • 4 min read