STORY
Reform UK is facing criticism after analysis of its civil service reduction plan suggested that some proposed job cuts exceed the number of people employed in the relevant roles. The party’s Storm and Sunshine policy paper proposes a 13% reduction in civil service headcount and says this would save more than £5 billion a year.
The plan includes cutting 450 planning roles, although civil service statistics show 445 planners are employed across the civil service in Britain. It also proposes reducing occupational psychology roles by 930, despite many of those staff working in prisons and probation, and cutting 2,500 security posts without specifying which departments would be affected.
The Conservatives accused Reform of producing unrealistic policies that would risk damaging security, prison welfare and planning capacity. Reform said its figures included planning inspectors and defended the proposals, but the row underlines the growing scrutiny being applied to the party’s programme as it seeks to present itself as a Government-in-waiting.