13/02/2026 · POLITICS · 1 min read
Millionaires Leave UK, Cite Labour Vibes Not Tax
A new survey of departing high earners says the main push factor is the presence of a Labour government, not the headline tax rate, prompting a rush on softer curtains abroad.
A fresh analysis of millionaire departures claims the real driver is a Labour government aura, with tax changes described as “secondary” and “not as upsetting as a red logo.”
Researchers say the group is responding to a “general policy ambiance” and a fear that public spending might be directed at things that are not private lounges.
The Official Reasons (and the Actual Reasons)
The report says respondents listed several motives, arranged in order of certainty and public acceptability:
- “Political comfort” (defined as the ability to agree with your own reflection).
- Weather, which remains “unhelpful to yacht strategy.”
- Tax, but only when the conversation is being recorded.
A Calm, Adult Exodus
Most movers insist they are not angry, just “optimizing their lifestyle footprint” and “seeking a jurisdiction with better vibes per square foot.”
Analysts note a familiar pattern: strong feelings, weak specifics, and a spreadsheet that ends with “move to wherever the sun is.” Several tried to expense the sunshine.
For more on the nation’s fiscal mood swings, see: Reform UK Patriots-Only Tax System Backfires Spectacularly.
Editor’s note: This story was compiled from exit interviews, three brunches, and one unusually quiet private members’ club.