Reform UK Proposes Up to 140,000 Job Cuts

MPs rejected Nigel Farage’s bill to withdraw the UK from the European Convention on Human Rights, a defeat condemned by Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey. Reform UK has surged in the polls and is being touted as a potential challenger for No.10, but commentators warn it lacks a credible governing team and detailed policies. The party proposes dramatic civil‑service cuts — estimates range from roughly 100,000 to about 133,000–140,000 — alongside rewritten ministerial and civil service codes, privatisation of functions and not renewing leases on several government buildings. Recent high‑profile defections, including Danny Kruger, have bolstered Reform’s preparations for government. Critics say Reform faces practical hurdles to power (difficult coalition arithmetic and tactical voting) and question how it would fund tax‑cutting promises and implement sweeping Whitehall reforms.