Reform UK has launched a new initiative called the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), inspired by Elon Musk’s controversial federal reform efforts in the United States. The party, which recently made significant gains in the 2025 local elections, is aiming to overhaul local council spending by identifying and eliminating waste and inefficiency. The DOGE team has begun its work with audits and reviews in Kent County Council and Lancashire County Council, with plans to extend its remit to West Northamptonshire Council and beyond.
The department is led by Zia Yusuf, who returned to Reform UK as the head of the initiative after a brief resignation. Initially, the team was headed by tech entrepreneur Nathaniel Fried, who stepped down soon after the department was formed. His departure was reportedly related to his appointment by Yusuf and questions around the appropriateness of his role. The DOGE initiative is modeled closely on Musk’s federal reforms, characterized by aggressive cost-cutting measures and restructuring, often pursued with minimal transparency and communication.
Critics have voiced concerns about the potential negative consequences of such rapid and sweeping reforms. In the US, Musk’s own DOGE efforts led to significant disruption, including the dismantling of agencies like USAID and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. These changes resulted in the loss of over 280,000 jobs and prompted legal challenges, as well as a backlash from experienced personnel, raising questions about the reforms’ effectiveness and underlying motivations. Many feared a brain drain and questioned whether the cost-cutting came at the expense of essential public services.
In the UK, local government unions and opposition parties have expressed skepticism and worry that the emphasis on reducing costs could undermine vital council services and damage staff morale. There are also fears that the reforms may be politically motivated and carried out with insufficient engagement with affected communities and workers. The lack of clear communication around the DOGE team’s activities has further fueled concerns about the transparency and accountability of the process.
As the DOGE team continues its work, it remains uncertain whether the initiative will produce genuine efficiency gains or fall into the same pitfalls seen in similar US reforms. The outcome of this effort will likely influence how public sector reform is approached in the UK moving forward, shaping debates on how best to balance fiscal responsibility with the need to protect essential public services and staff welfare.
