In this case I prefer to believe to the facts and to those who represents the market but I respect your choice that you rely on a friend of yours, an individual. By the way, if you're against leverage, then you should ask (assuming you live in the EU and not in Russia) them to ban many products such as turbos, warrants, futures, options, etc. and many other derivatives which comes with a much higher leverage and which are available for the financially uneducated costumer in a retail bank. Also don't forget to ban loans since that is leverage as well.
Granted, the UK isn't the only place that's safe to put money. But, annoying though it is, ESMA and the FCA are making it safer for the client, so its a bit contrarian to try to evade their protective measures. On top of which, terms and legal rights and contractual obligations are only worth the paper they're printed on if you can in the last resort enforce them through the local courts: I cannot even imagine the difficulties in taking a foreign-based firm to court in a foreign jurisdiction.
It's also a valid point especially in your case because you live in the UK. For me however it's different because both the UK and for instance Switzerland is a foreign country so whether I'd stick to the UK or I move my account to another jurisdiction, I'd face with the same difficulties if I'd need to go after one of these companies. Personally I'd prefer the UK just like you but 30:1 and 20:1 is a no go for me. If they'd have chosen 50:1 to match the States then maybe but this is way too low. By the way, I wouldn't necessarily call it a protective measure because "professional" clients can still access higher leverage and the only criteria to be categorized as one is to have €500,000 in the bank and to place 10 traders each quarter so it's more like they're protecting the poor people and not the uneducated. The €500k is a liquid net worth requirement, you don't have to deposit it with the broker. The problem is that they should have either allowed anyone to access higher leverage at their own risk or doesn't say that those who have €500k in the bank can do whatever they want. It's not a protective but a discriminating measure because if someone makes €500k as a chef, consultant, real estate agent, etc. may have less financial knowledge than someone who has been making a living from a €50k account with more than 30:1 leverage.
It's fine for my ordinary purposes but it will suck to not have 50x when one of those rare huge gain easy to read events happen.
I took the risk and went to a Broker in New Zealand. Still a fundamentally sound jurisdiction for Financial services and no problems so far. Had an account with IC Markets already and now BlackBull Markets. Check them out.
I hate low leverage ! I prefer to put little money in my trading account. As my account increases, I will withdraw $$$ from it.