Former cabinet secretary Simon Case has spoken of his belief that Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party has the potential to usher in a significant rewiring of the way government works if it secures power – or a share of it – at the next general election.
Case, who stepped down as the nation’s top civil servant in December and was elevated to the House of Lords last month, made his comments in the latest edition of The Spectator, which is edited by former housing secretary Michael Gove.
In the piece, titled Can Reform beat the blob?, Case says politicians “across the political spectrum” are frustrated that “the British system isn't delivering”. He says Farage – whose upstart party currently has an 11-point polls lead over Labour, according to YouGov – could introduce sweeping changes to the way UK government operates if Reform secures power after the next general election.
“The really interesting question for Reform is will they do the homework required to understand immediately the changes they need to make in how government works?” he asks.
“Nigel Farage probably never spends time at the Institute for Government – but read what the IfG says about what is wrong with government, what is wrong with the bureaucracy and the laws that have put unaccountable officials in charge of things instead of politicians.”
Case said he could envisage a future Reform UK government introducing a major repeal bill to remove perceived obstacles to delivery, such as the European Convention on Human Rights and various consultation requirements that act as barriers to development.
“If they did their homework, you could remove all of those obstacles at a stroke," Case said. "It’s not just the top things, like scrapping the Office for Budget Responsibility, but here are all the people who can block planning applications for motorways or power stations. Here are all the statutory consultees every time you launch a new business support programme.”
Case said most clashes between ministers and officials are the result of civil servants having to remind their political masters of the limitations of their power.
Currently, Reform UK only has four MPs. However, its performance in May’s county council, mayoral and police-and-crime commissioner elections indicated significant support for the party and saw it become the largest political force in 10 local authorities.
Warwickshire County Council in particular has been an early flashpoint between the authority’s new political leadership and its serving officials.
Case said Reform shouldn’t draw too many parallels between its experience in local government and what could lie ahead in national government.
However, he noted the potential for some officials to fail to recognise the significance of a change of political leadership.
“You have to spend a lot of time as cabinet secretary reminding the whole system of what the civil service code says, which is that you're there to support the government of the day, no matter how uncomfortable that is,” he said. “Ultimately, if you don't want to work for them, resign”.
He said there is an understanding that civil servants should anticipate “cultural changes” as well as policy changes and that officials need to “learn the language” after a change in administration.
Case, who sits as a crossbencher in the House of Lords, previously suggested that Reform should be admitted to contact talks with senior civil servants ahead of the next general election if there is any prospect of the party playing a role in a future government.