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Reform UK's local leadership tested as national ambitions grow
Six months after seizing control of 10 English councils-including six county authorities-Reform UK faces mounting scrutiny over its ability to govern effectively, even as national polls suggest it could surpass Labour and the Conservatives in the next general election. The party's promise to slash waste and overhaul spending has collided with the financial realities of local administration, raising questions about its readiness for Westminster.
Leaked video exposes internal strife in flagship council
A leaked recording last month revealed Linden Kemkaran, Reform UK's leader in Kent-dubbed the party's "flagship" council-berating fellow councillors and telling dissenters to "suck it up." The incident, which drew national attention, prompted criticism from Labour, Liberal Democrat, and Green opponents, who labeled the party's governance as "chaotic." Five Kent councillors have since been expelled, though Kemkaran remains in her post, insisting operations continue as usual.
Danny Kruger, one of Reform's five MPs, acknowledged the party's "ill-disciplined" nature but framed it as a "pirate ship" evolving into a disciplined force. "The job is to turn this into His Majesty's Royal Navy," he said, signaling ambitions to transition from insurgency to credible governance.
Promises vs. reality: The DOGE unit's limited impact
Reform's local election victory in May-securing 677 seats (41% of those contested)-came with bold pledges to audit councils, eliminate "fraudulent contracts," and cut spending. A "DOGE" (Department of Government Efficiency) unit, modeled after Elon Musk's cost-cutting initiatives, was launched to identify waste. Yet legal hurdles and data-access restrictions have stymied progress. The unit has visited only a "handful" of Reform-controlled councils, according to reports.
Zia Yusuf, who led DOGE until October, claimed hundreds of millions in savings had been identified-citing Kent's halted office relocation and paused net-zero schemes-but conceded that Whitehall's budgetary constraints limit local autonomy. Critics, like Stuart Hoddinott of the Institute for Government, dismissed the savings as "minuscule" compared to the sector's £8.4bn funding gap by 2028/29. "It's like worrying about 2p when you earn £30,000," he said.
"This idea that because social care is statutory there's no point in finding savings-we don't buy that."
Zia Yusuf, Reform UK's former head of policy
Budget pressures force tough choices
Reform's councils now confront the same fiscal crises as their predecessors. Lancashire faces a £100m shortfall over two years; West Northamptonshire warns of "tough choices" to close a £50m gap; Worcestershire may raise council tax by 10%. Even 19-year-old Warwickshire leader George Finch has signaled "difficult decisions." While Reform insists tax hikes will align with inflation, Worcestershire's potential 10% increase undermines that claim.
Richard Tice, Reform's deputy leader and new DOGE head, vowed to target pension schemes and "waste-related contracts," but experts like LSE's Tony Travers caution that systemic reforms take years. "Reform's cost-cutting narrative was never realistic," Travers said, pointing to the "extraordinary financial constraint" inherited from prior administrations.
Culture wars vs. fiscal pragmatism
Critics accuse Reform of prioritizing "culture wars"-cutting DEI programs and Pride flag displays-over substantive budget fixes. Hoddinott called such moves "bluster," noting that 15 years of austerity had already exhausted easy solutions. "They were naive to think they'd solve this overnight," he added.
Polling surge masks local struggles
Despite local setbacks, Reform's national poll average has hovered near 30% since May, while Labour and the Conservatives languish below 20%. Yet Nigel Farage recently backtracked on a £90bn annual tax-cut pledge, citing the "dire state" of public finances. "Substantial tax cuts" are now "unrealistic," he admitted, proposing modest adjustments like raising thresholds and scrapping inheritance tax for family businesses.
Luke Tryl of More in Common argued that Reform's local performance may not sway voters focused on migration and disillusionment with mainstream parties. "A council crisis-like social care collapse or bankruptcy-would hurt them more than unmet savings promises," he said.
Verdict: A party still proving itself
As councils begin 2026 budget planning, Reform's ability to deliver on its pledges remains unproven. While the party highlights incremental savings, experts warn that structural constraints-rising statutory service costs, pension liabilities, and central government demands-limit its maneuverability. Whether Reform can avoid the bankruptcies and service failures that plagued other councils may determine its national viability.
"The truth is, the constraints of real government would be just as real if they got in at Westminster."
Prof. Tony Travers, London School of Economics
