On May 30, 2024, during a press conference in central London, Reform UK leader Richard Tice accused cash-only barber shops of acting as fronts for money laundering and drug deals. The declaration coincided with the party's launch of a new immigration policy. Party figurehead Nigel Farage supported Tice’s claims, highlighting the proliferation of barber shops on UK high streets.
Tice implied these establishments’ preference for cash transactions as evidence of illicit activities. Furthermore, he expanded his accusations to include some candy stores, which he claimed sell "fake sweets" and also serve as fronts for money laundering.
A key element of Reform UK’s unveiled policy was the introduction of a 20% national insurance premium, up from 13.8%, on businesses employing overseas workers to combat what Tice called the UK's "addiction" to cheap foreign labor. Exemptions include small businesses with fewer than five employees and sectors like healthcare and social care.
The policy aims to incentivize the employment of British workers and reduce reliance on foreign labor. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has dismissed the prospect of any alliance with Reform UK, despite pressure from the party on immigration matters. Reform UK plans to contest seats across England, Scotland, and Wales in the upcoming General Election.