Nigel Farage throws support behind campaign to stop introduction of racing tax

Nigel Farage has thrown his support behind racing’s campaign to stop the government implementing a new tax which the industry claims will threaten the sport’s future.

The Treasury last month completed a public consultation over plans to harmonise remote gambling duties which would treat horse racing on the same level as other forms of gambling. The British Horseracing Authority has launched a petition and urged participants and punters to lobby their MPs to argue that racing should be taxed at a lower rate.

The BHA has produced economic analysis which has estimated that racing could lose at least £66 million if the tax is set on a par with online games of chance, putting tens of thousands of jobs at risk.

Reform leader Farage was at Goodwood on Friday where he was attending as a guest of leading racehorse owners Dr Jim and Fitri Hay. Last year former Prime Minister Liz Truss was among their entourage.

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Speaking to ITV Racing, Farage said: “I love racing, be it Flat, be it jumps. It’s a really important part of what we do as a country, and there are some concerns around it.

“I think there is an ignorance here. There is an an assumption from members of Parliament that all gambling is bad, all gambling leads to ruin, and look, some of those machines where you can go and lose your entire money in an afternoon are pretty addictive.

“I do think horse racing is different. You are making an individual decision each time to have a bet. There are checks and safeguards in place.”

Asked if he thought that was the majority view in government, he replied: “No. I think I’m in a minority.

“It’s worrying for the racing industry because what they are proposing to put in is going to do the most enormous amount of damage.

“And I see this again and again and again, people with little understanding of what they are legislating on making decisions for everybody else. I will certainly be fighting.