The Reform revolution: a policy earthquake

Gawain Towler, senior adviser at Bradshaw Advisory and former 'right-hand-man' to Nigel Farage, gives his take on the local election results and what businesses need to know.

Reform UK’s platform is a Molotov cocktail lobbed at the establishment. Bold, brash, and unapologetic. It’s built on a promise to gut inefficiency, torch the "woke agenda" and drag local governance kicking and screaming into productivity. For businesses, it’s a high-stakes gamble with winners and losers aplenty.

Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE): Reform’s flagship idea is the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, a brainchild (borrowed from the US) that will be rolled out across its councils. Think of it as a chainsaw to the bloated discretionary budgets of local authorities. The pitch is simple: slash wasteful spending, especially on diversity schemes, climate initiatives, and anything that smells of "woke", and channel the savings into better essential services. In Greater Lincolnshire, Dame Andrea Jenkyns has dubbed it "DOGE Lincolnshire," a rallying cry to make councils lean and effective.

For businesses, this could mean a lighter tax burden and fewer bureaucratic hurdles, music to the ears of anyone who’s wrestled with council red tape. But hold the champagne. Similar efforts in the US, like Trump’s DOGE, promised the moon, $2 trillion in cuts, and has delivered a measly $160 billion so far. If Reform’s version flops, you might get councils that are still wasteful but now lack the programs some firms rely on for contracts or compliance. It’s a coin toss, and businesses need to watch closely.

Abolishing work-from-home: Then there’s Reform’s crusade to ban working from home for local authority workers. The party reckons this will jolt productivity out of its post-pandemic slump and make councils more accountable. For companies fed up with glacial planning approvals or unresponsive officials, this could be a godsend, imagine faster decisions and a council that actually answers the phone. But don’t bet on it yet. Studies on remote work are a mixed bag and it depends on the organisation (at Bradshaw Advisory we work flexibly and are very productive). There could be trouble with the local authority blobs and entrenched self interest.

Opposition to vanity projects, Net Zero, and woke: Reform’s disdain for "vanity projects," Net Zero, and the broader woke agenda is the loudest drumbeat in their manifesto. No more shiny council HQs or eco-statues - spending must deliver bang for buck. Net Zero? They’d rather bin it than fund it, arguing it’s a costly burden on taxpayers and businesses alike. And the woke agenda, DEI training, gender-neutral loos, you name it, is in the crosshairs.

This is where the corporate fault lines emerge. If your business thrives on green tech or CSR, say, solar panel installation or sustainability consulting, Reform’s councils could be a nightmare. Local eco-projects might dry up, and procurement could tilt away from "ethical" suppliers. But if you’re in construction, logistics, or retail, itching to ditch green compliance costs, this might be your moment. Lower overheads, fewer rules, a council that cares about services over vanity. Just don’t get too cozy, as currently Net Zero scepticism is still a minority sport, but Reform is taking a bet that the pendulum is overdue a swing to what it sees as common sense.

So, how do businesses work with Reform-controlled councils? The short answer: with eyes wide open. There’s opportunity here, but it’s laced with risk.

On the plus side, Reform’s obsession with efficiency could make life easier for commerce. Lower taxes, quicker approvals, and a council that’s less likely to drown you in paperwork, sectors like property development or infrastructure could thrive. Imagine a planning process that doesn’t take a year, or a procurement tender that doesn’t demand a 50-page ESG report. That’s the dream Reform’s selling.

Stability? Predictability? Don’t count on it. For businesses that need long-term certainty, think energy firms or manufacturers, these councils could be a headache. And there’s a PR trap: cozy up to Reform too publicly, and you risk backlash from other clients or some investors who may see them as toxic.

Take housing. Reform’s hardline stance, housing asylum seekers in tents, not hotels—signals a broader reluctance to fund "soft" social projects. But if you’re a builder who just wants to slap up homes fast, Reform’s impatience with consultation could be a goldmine. It’s a balancing act, align pragmatically where you can, but keep your options open.

Reform’s biggest test isn’t policy, it’s execution. Local authorities are swamps of complacency: layers of middle managers, risk-averse cultures, and staff who’ve mastered the art of doing nothing slowly. Reform wants to smash that, but it’s a Herculean task.

They’ll need more than budget cuts and office mandates. Real change means sacking deadwood, tying pay to performance, and making transparency the norm, not just buzzwords on a leaflet. In theory, this could transform councils into lean machines, delivering for businesses and taxpayers alike. In practice? Public sector unions will fight tooth and nail—expect strikes, sabotage, and sob stories in the press. And Reform’s own ranks are thin; many of their councillors are greenhorns, and even Jenkyns, a seasoned ex-Tory, has more flair than finesse.

Businesses should brace for turbulence. A council in transition might speed up in the long run, but the short term could be a mess, delays, disputes, as the local government establishment fights its rearguard action. Patience will be key.

Make no mistake: Reform UK isn’t a passing storm. These councils are theirs for years, and the party’s digging in. Runcorn, Greater Lincolnshire, Doncaster—these aren’t just wins, they’re proving grounds. Reform’s tasting power, and it likes the flavour.

For businesses, this is the new normal. The smart play is engagement without entanglement. Get to know these councils—figure out their quirks, their red lines, their sweet spots. If they want efficiency, pitch it; if they hate green tape, lean into that. But don’t go all-in. Reform’s still finding its feet, and its governance could be brilliant or bonkers. Hedge your bets—keep channels open with Labour and the Tories, who still hold chunks of the map.

Above all, stay nimble. The old rules are toast, and Reform’s rise is just Act One. Businesses that adapt will ride the wave; those that don’t will drown. This is Britain’s political reset—deal with it.