Reform UK to field candidate against every Tory at next election, says leader

In a speech at a hotel in central London, Tice focused on policies including an increase in the starting rate for income tax from £12,570 to £20,000. Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

The leader of Reform UK, Richard Tice, has offered a “cast-iron guarantee” the party will put up a candidate against every Conservative in the next general election, ruling out a 2019-style deal even if the Tories back some of his policies.

After a speech to relaunch the party, which was level with the Liberal Democrats in some recent polls, Tice said Reform UK already had 600 candidates in place and would stand in every seat outside Northern Ireland.