Nigel Farage is scheduled to meet Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the billionaire founder of chemicals giant Ineos, before Christmas as Reform UK steps up efforts to court business leaders. Sir Jim, estimated to be worth around £20bn, has previously criticised Britain’s net zero agenda, a policy position shared by Mr Farage and his party.
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Speaking on a podcast, Sir Jim said Mr Farage requested the meeting and noted he has also met Tory leader Kemi Badenoch. He criticised Energy Secretary Ed Miliband’s plans to phase out fossil fuels and the government’s 2050 net zero target, calling them “absurd” and warning they could put millions of jobs at risk across Europe.
Despite some shared views on the net zero policy, Sir Jim ruled out donating to Reform UK, emphasising that he remains politically neutral. He described Sir Keir Starmer as “a reasonable bloke” but questioned whether Starmer is assertive enough to manage his party effectively.
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Sir Jim also commented on broader issues in Britain, describing it as a “high tax, high immigration, high crime” country, and suggested that voters would likely support Mr Farage if he could tackle the economy, crime, and taxation. Reform UK declined to comment on the proposed meeting.
