𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Britain is “hurtling down the highway of Brexit betrayal far faster than anyone realises”, Reform UK’s Richard Tice has warned. The party’s deputy leader has sounded the alarm ahead of a major speech on Tuesday by Chancellor Rachel Reeves. The Treasury boss is expected to make the case for closer alignment with the European Union.

Ms Reeves prepared the ground for her speech by declaring: “Brexit has not been good for our country, for growth, for prices in the shop.”

The Chancellor wants to consider closer alignment with the single market a “big bet” and wants an “ambitious” youth mobility scheme – and refused to say whether numbers would be capped.

She described the European Union as the “biggest prize”, saying: “I believe our future is closely intertwined with that of Europe.”

Mr Tice told the Express: “The mask has well and truly slipped. Despite their promises in the election campaign, it’s clear that Labour have never had the slightest intention of honouring the Brexit vote, or of seizing the opportunities Brexit delivered.

“We are already hurtling down the highway of Brexit betrayal far faster than anyone realises. Once in government, Reform will immediately reverse any damage caused by Labour.”

Ms Reeves will detail her second “big bet” in Tuesday’s lecture – her ambition to turn the Oxford-Cambridge “growth corridor” into “Europe’s Silicon Valley”.

She is expected to disclose plans for a “development corporation” for Greater Oxford – similar to those used to transform London’s Canary Wharf and to regenerate the swathe of the capital which hosted the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in East London.

A similar development corporation for Cambridge has already been launched.

Ms Reeves will back the two corporations by doubling the funding available to buy land and build infrastructure, from £400million up to £800million.

A Treasury spokesman said: “Our plans for the Oxford-Cambridge corridor are ambitious. The prize on offer is to have the Silicon Valley of Europe here in Britain – bringing more jobs and more vibrant places to live.

“We have the right economic plan and this week the Chancellor will set out how the regions are crucial to the next decade of growth.”