Nigel Farage's Reform UK proposes scrapping GDPR for a 'light-touch' law

Reform UK, a political party led by Nigel Farage, has announced its intention to dismantle the United Kingdom's current data protection regulations, including its version of the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The party stated that this move is part of a larger strategy to support small businesses and technology firms by reducing regulatory burdens.

According to Reform UK, the existing GDPR framework has "strangled small businesses and tech firms alike in a web of unnecessary regulation." The party proposes replacing it with a more lenient privacy law, drawing inspiration from New Zealand's Privacy Act. This approach, they argue, would still allow for the free flow of personal data between the U.K. and the EU, thereby preserving the U.K.'s data adequacy status.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage described the proposal as a "bold, common-sense rescue plan" to address what he termed "suffocating EU red tape." Reform UK MP Robert Jenrick echoed this sentiment, stating that the U.K. should not continue adhering to EU privacy laws that negatively impact British businesses, especially a decade after the Brexit referendum.

The U.K. incorporated an amended version of GDPR into its law following its departure from the European Union. While the EU GDPR offers broader individual data rights, Reform UK asserts that adopting New Zealand's model would maintain essential data protection equivalence. The U.K. has already made some adjustments to its privacy laws with the Data (Use and Access) Act, aimed at fostering economic growth.