Nigel Farage says Senedd election is referendum on Starmer’s leadership at manifesto launch

Analysis

The pitch to businessespublished at 13:37 GMT

Huw ThomasWales business correspondent

Reform UK's pitch to Welsh businesses is built around a promise to lower costs and sweep away what it frames as years of over-regulation.

A fundamental overhaul of business rates chimes with the frequent calls for a review of the tax facing firms in Wales and Reform is not unique in promising change.

Planning is another area that's often cited as a barrier to economic growth in Wales.

While Reform pledges to quicken the pace around planning decisions, there are plenty of cynical voices in property development who have lived through previous attempts to streamline the system.

Procurement policies that encourage spending on local firms could be an easy win on paper, but may be more tricky to enact without restricting choice and competition.

And while scrapping the tourism tax is being framed by them as a boost for Wales's tourist economy, BBC Wales found Cardiff was the only local authority that's actively working to introduce a levy on overnight accommodation and city officials claim to have industry support for the move.