Reform UK’s Richard Tice has claimed that the UK’s Net Zero strategy is “the biggest economic disaster to hit this country.”
You can see and hear him saying it at the beginning of this video clip (which also features Yr Obdt Srvt and the rest of the article below, if you prefer your information in audio-visual form):
That’s a big claim — and one that raises immediate eyebrows.
Because for millions of us, the title of “biggest economic disaster” is already taken: by Brexit.
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Let’s take a step back.
Net Zero is the UK’s legally binding target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to “net zero” by 2050.
This isn’t a green dream — it’s a scientific necessity, recommended by the UK’s own Climate Change Committee and aligned with the international Paris Agreement to avoid catastrophic climate impacts.
Critics like Tice argue that the costs of decarbonization — retrofitting homes, scaling up renewables, transforming industry — are unbearable burdens on the economy.
But here’s the thing: Net Zero is an investment, not just a cost.
Yes, it requires spending, but it also creates jobs in clean energy, boosts energy security, reduces exposure to volatile fossil fuel prices, and prevents the far larger economic toll of unmitigated climate change.
According to a 2021 Office for Budget Responsibility report, “unmitigated climate change would ultimately be far more costly than the costs of bringing emissions down to net zero.”
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Now, compare that to Brexit.
Driven by a campaign full of nationalist bravado and (let’s not mince words) dishonesty, has already delivered measurable economic harm.
The UK economy is 4-5 per cent smaller than it would have been without Brexit, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility.
Trade has been disrupted, small businesses battered by red tape, investment flows reduced, and labour shortages worsened.
Government figures show that Brexit will shrink long-term GDP by far more than Covid ever did.
It’s no wonder that polls consistently show a majority of Britons now think leaving the EU was a mistake.
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So why is Tice pointing the finger at Net Zero instead?
Partly, it’s ideological.
Reform UK, the successor to Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party, thrives on grievance politics.
Having “got Brexit done,” they need a new bogeyman — and climate policy fits perfectly.
It taps into anger about energy bills, distrust of government, and fear of change.
But this narrative ignores the real causes of Britain’s economic malaise: low productivity, underinvestment, a shrunken workforce, and yes, the fallout from Brexit itself.
Make no mistake: transitioning to Net Zero is a huge challenge.
It will involve winners and losers.
But to call it the “biggest economic disaster” — while ignoring the concrete, measurable damage of Brexit — is not just misleading.
It’s gaslighting.
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Can you chip in £3 today?
👉 https://ko-fi.com/voxpolitical
If Richard Tice wants to campaign on fixing the economy, perhaps he should start by looking in the mirror.
Because the political movement he helped build has already done more to hobble Britain’s economic prospects than any wind turbine or heat pump ever will.
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Net Zero, Brexit, and Richard Tice’s strange economic memory loss
Reform UK’s Richard Tice has claimed that the UK’s Net Zero strategy is “the biggest economic disaster to hit this country.”
You can see and hear him saying it at the beginning of this video clip (which also features Yr Obdt Srvt and the rest of the article below, if you prefer your information in audio-visual form):
That’s a big claim — and one that raises immediate eyebrows.
Because for millions of us, the title of “biggest economic disaster” is already taken: by Brexit.
Help fund great articles! We’re aiming for £50 to cover research and reporting time this week.
Can you chip in £3 today?
👉 https://ko-fi.com/voxpolitical
Let’s take a step back.
Net Zero is the UK’s legally binding target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to “net zero” by 2050.
This isn’t a green dream — it’s a scientific necessity, recommended by the UK’s own Climate Change Committee and aligned with the international Paris Agreement to avoid catastrophic climate impacts.
Critics like Tice argue that the costs of decarbonization — retrofitting homes, scaling up renewables, transforming industry — are unbearable burdens on the economy.
But here’s the thing: Net Zero is an investment, not just a cost.
Yes, it requires spending, but it also creates jobs in clean energy, boosts energy security, reduces exposure to volatile fossil fuel prices, and prevents the far larger economic toll of unmitigated climate change.
According to a 2021 Office for Budget Responsibility report, “unmitigated climate change would ultimately be far more costly than the costs of bringing emissions down to net zero.”
Buy Cruel Britannia in print here. Buy the Cruel Britannia ebook here. Or just click on the image!
Now, compare that to Brexit.
Driven by a campaign full of nationalist bravado and (let’s not mince words) dishonesty, has already delivered measurable economic harm.
The UK economy is 4-5 per cent smaller than it would have been without Brexit, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility.
Trade has been disrupted, small businesses battered by red tape, investment flows reduced, and labour shortages worsened.
Government figures show that Brexit will shrink long-term GDP by far more than Covid ever did.
It’s no wonder that polls consistently show a majority of Britons now think leaving the EU was a mistake.
Get my free guide: “10 Political Lies You Were Sold This Decade” — just subscribe to our email list here:
👉 https://voxpoliticalonline.com
So why is Tice pointing the finger at Net Zero instead?
Partly, it’s ideological.
Reform UK, the successor to Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party, thrives on grievance politics.
Having “got Brexit done,” they need a new bogeyman — and climate policy fits perfectly.
It taps into anger about energy bills, distrust of government, and fear of change.
But this narrative ignores the real causes of Britain’s economic malaise: low productivity, underinvestment, a shrunken workforce, and yes, the fallout from Brexit itself.
Make no mistake: transitioning to Net Zero is a huge challenge.
It will involve winners and losers.
But to call it the “biggest economic disaster” — while ignoring the concrete, measurable damage of Brexit — is not just misleading.
It’s gaslighting.
Help fund great articles! We’re aiming for £50 to cover research and reporting time this week.
Can you chip in £3 today?
👉 https://ko-fi.com/voxpolitical
If Richard Tice wants to campaign on fixing the economy, perhaps he should start by looking in the mirror.
Because the political movement he helped build has already done more to hobble Britain’s economic prospects than any wind turbine or heat pump ever will.
Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
(but don’t want to give your money to advertisers)
you can make a one-off donation here:
Be among the first to know what’s going on! Here are the ways to manage it:
1) Register with us by clicking on ‘Subscribe’ (bottom right of the home page). You can then receive notifications of every new article that is posted here.
2) Follow VP on Twitter @VoxPolitical
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Join the Vox Political Facebook page.
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5) Follow Vox Political writer Mike Sivier on BlueSky
6) Join the MeWe page at https://mewe.com/p-front/voxpolitical
7) Feel free to comment!
And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out!
If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!
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