Union slams Reform’s ‘outrageous’ plan to cut 68,000 civil service jobs

Martin Shipton

Senior figures in the largest civil servants’ union have condemned as outrageous the announcement by Reform UK that it would cut 68,000 civil service jobs if it comes to power in the UK.

East Wiltshire MP Danny Kruger, who recently defected to Reform from the Conservatives and is leading efforts within the party to get ready for government, said the plan would cut the salary bill by 17% and save the taxpayer £5.2bn a year.

He told a press conference in Westminster: “That’s £4bn in averted salary costs, which will be realised within two years, and £1bn in averted pension contributions that will be realised in the years ahead.”

But Fran Heathcote, general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) said: “Reducing staffing in the civil service is a sure-fire way to reduce efficiency and load the taxpayer with the hidden costs of social failure.

“The people of the UK, and our members, demand a civil service that gives value for money and gets the job done properly.

“Reform’s plan in October was to slash 100,000 jobs. This reduced figure is just another wild pledge demonstrating zero understanding of the civil service and how it works.”

Sian Boyles, PCS’ national officer for Wales, said: “These figures are plucked out of the air by a party that has undertaken no evaluation of the impact such cuts would have on the civil service and on the front-line services that are provided to the public.

“Getting rid of 68,000 civil servants would impact massively on people’s lives.Departments like HMRC and DWP are already understaffed and delays occur as a result.

“Those who denigrate the civil service like to give the impression that everyone working within it is very highly paid and have gold-plated pensions. That is far from the truth, and in fact many of our members in the civil service are on salaries not much higher than the living wage.

“Some people seem to think that a lot of jobs can be cut through the introduction of AI, but there are many things that AI cannot do. If you are assessing someone for their eligibility for a benefit, a robot cannot make the decision – it has to be made by a human being.”

Ms Boyles added: “A lot of these job-cutting ideas are mimicking the Doge programme that Donald Trump and Elon Musk tried in the United States. It stemmed from the idea that government is intrinsically bad and should be eliminated as much as possible. In fact, Doge created chaos, with vulnerable people suffering as public sector employees were kicked out of their jobs. Eventually the programme was discontinued.

“Good government is needed to keep society working efficiently and with fairness.”

In the new year, PCS members will be asked their views on how to deal with the challenges facing them.

Ms Boyles said: “I know that our members have a variety of views. Some are interested in the fact that change may be coming, but I would say that 65% are absolutely petrified at the prospect of their jobs being put at risk. We are working with TUC Cymru to see how we can protect the jobs we have.”

Meanwhile, the PCS has produced its own manifesto for next May’s Senedd election, which includes a series of demands that it suggests members should ask parties and candidates as the campaign progresses.

The PCS’s main demands are:

• Pay terms and conditions: an £18 per hour minimum wage and full pay restoration.
• Poverty in Wales: an end to austerity and fully resourced and accessible public services.
• Tax justice: the collection of the £100bn unpaid, evaded or avoided tax.
• Better funding for Wales: a means-tested funding formula for Wales, devolved control of the Shared Prosperity Fund and equitable infrastructure funding, including that related to HS2.
• Public services: increased funding and increased staffing of public services in Wales to allow delivery to the highest standard possible.
• Workers’ rights: the repeal of all anti-trade union laws, A second employment rights bill and the devolution of employment rights to the Welsh Government.
• Safe routes: That Wales’ status as a nation of sanctuary is maintained, and the implementation of safe and secure routes for refugees to break the people smugglers’ business model.
• Climate change: a trade union negotiated just transition to a green, sustainable, zero carbon economy in Wales built on the creation of climate jobs.
• Equalities: that the next Senedd ensures that the rights of black, disabled, LGBTQ+ communities, women and young people are protected in the workplace and in society.