Nigel Farage wants to scrap 'suffocating' UK GDPR

Reform UK's leader, Nigel Farage, and his economy chief, Robert Jenrick, have announced plans to replace the UK GDPR with a "light-touch" alternative, similar to New Zealand's approach, after eight years of regulations they claim are "strangling" small businesses. The UK's Information Commissioner currently has the power to impose multi-million-pound fines on businesses that violate the UK GDPR, which replaced the pre-Brexit Data Protection Act 2018 in 2021.

New Zealand's Privacy Act 2020, in contrast, allows only for fines up to NZ$50,000. Reform UK emphasizes that small businesses are crucial to the economy, claiming they have been "suffocated by years of punishing taxes, suffocating EU red tape, and a big-state obsession that rewards dependency over hard work." Both Farage and Jenrick argue that the outdated EU privacy laws are harming British businesses and should be replaced.

However, they would still maintain an active adequacy decision with the European Union to ensure the free flow of personal data across borders. Reform UK is currently facing a legal challenge over data protection issues, with the Good Law Project alleging the party failed to comply with current UK GDPR. Despite the controversy, the party is resolute in its commitment to backing small businesses and creating a more pro-enterprise business environment.