Reform UK would overhaul the Civil Service code to bar non-party political activism it says has spread a woke agenda across Whitehall, East Wiltshire MP Danny Kruger has said. Kruger, who defected from the Conservatives to Reform last month, set out plans to reduce the centre of the Civil Service and close government buildings after the next general election. He argued the impartiality rule should extend beyond party political activity to cover other political beliefs that civil servants could hold in the course of their work. He said the ‘DEI woke agenda’ would amount to a contravention of the Civil Service code, and that socially controversial political positions would not be acceptable. Reform would also seek to amend the ministerial code to drop the obligation to take international law into account when decisions are made.

Kruger did not specify how many civil service jobs would go, saying only that the aim is to design Whitehall’s function, form and size so the headcount at the centre falls below Brexit-era levels. He noted that ten years ago the headcount was about 30% smaller than today, suggesting Reform could return to that level and go further. He also claimed that not renewing leases on five government buildings, including the Ministry of Justice offices at 102 Petty France and the Department for Education site on Great Smith Street, would save £100 million (€116.0 million) a year.

Kruger argued that reducing the Civil Service would allow the government to operate without those offices and return the Civil Service to Whitehall. The government has already confirmed plans to close the Ministry of Justice offices at Petty France and 39 Victoria Street, home to the Department of Health, as part of a drive to save £94 million per year (€109.0 million) and relocate Civil Service work outside London, Labour ministers say. Critics from Labour and the Liberal Democrats questioned the plan, with a Liberal Democrat Cabinet Office spokeswoman saying Reform is out of depth, and former prime minister Sir John Major denouncing it as amateur populism.