Reform UK plan hits major barrier after Nigel Farage Wwns 10 councils
Reform UK’s ambitious plan to dismantle diversity initiatives in local councils may already be facing a significant legal obstacle, despite the party’s sweeping gains in the recent local elections. Led by Nigel Farage, Reform UK surged to power in 10 councils across England and secured more than 600 council seats on 1 may, marking a dramatic entry into mainstream local governance. However, their headline-grabbing policy to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) schemes could be curtailed by the legal obligations set out in the equality Act 2010.
Reform’s leadership has been vocal about its desire to slash what it describes as “woke bureaucracy.” Taking inspiration from Elon Musk’s controversial approach to public administration, the party has pledged to end diversity officer roles, scrap DEI training, and even introduce a satirical “Department of Government Efficiency” or “DOGE” in councils, mirroring Musk’s fictitious US federal department. Andrea Jenkyns, the newly elected mayor of Lincolnshire and a staunch Farage ally, declared the move a “historic moment,” adding that Lincolnshire would lead the way in abandoning what she described as financially draining diversity initiatives.
Farage himself has gone so far as to tell Reform councillors to avoid DEI training altogether and has insisted that “every county needs a DOGE.” But legal experts and political analysts are warning that such measures may not be possible under current legislation. The Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED), part of the Equality Act, mandates that councils actively consider the impact of their decisions on individuals with protected characteristics, such as age, disability, gender, race, religion, and sexual orientation.
Former Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg issued a stark warning in The Spectator, stating that while Reform may symbolically change flags or slogans, “an awful lot of the duties of local councils are statutory duties that they have to carry out.” He added, “Regrettably, they won’t be able to get rid of as much DEI as I would like them to,” suggesting that Reform councils could find themselves “endlessly taken to court” if they attempt to ignore the Act.
Still, the party remains defiant. Gawain Towler, a former communications chief for Reform UK, argued on GB News that many of the current DEI practices in councils “go far beyond the scope of the Equality Act legislation.” He described the current landscape as suffering from “industrial rainbow-plating” of existing regulations and insisted Reform would work to “remove that woke plating.”
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In addition to policy changes, Reform says it will launch audits into council spending on diversity-related programmes. Farage has indicated that the party will investigate long-term DEI-related contracts signed by local authorities, with a view to dismantling those that are not legally binding or financially justifiable.
While the May local elections delivered a dramatic boost to Reform’s credibility, their real test lies ahead. With the next general election not due until 2029, the party has a four-year window to prove that it can translate populist rhetoric into practical governance. Recent polling suggests Reform could win up to 309 seats in a general election held today, putting Farage in striking distance of Downing Street—a prospect that is both tantalising and controversial.
However, the legal complexities surrounding DEI and the entrenched statutory obligations facing local councils may hinder Reform’s flagship policies before they get off the ground. As political tensions grow between Reform and Labour’s central government, the coming months will reveal whether Farage’s local revolution will fizzle out in the courtroom—or flourish against the odds.
