Reform UK would let ministers ignore international law, Kruger says

"Reform UK would allow ministers to ignore international law and give them the ability to fire civil servants in a Donald Trump-style overhaul of government powers, the party's new efficiency tsar has said. Danny Kruger, who defected to Reform from the Conservatives last month, set out the party's plans to change the way the government and civil service operate, handing more power to the cabinet."

"There is a glaring objection that I have to the ministerial code which is that it requires them to acknowledge international law in their decision-making. That is an immediate change we would make, Kruger said. A line in the code says: The ministerial code should be read against the background of the overarching duty on ministers to comply with the law, including international law and treaty obligations."

"Kruger also said civil servants would be brought more closely under the command of ministers, at least half of whom could be brought in from outside parliament as political appointments to the House of Lords. Reform's other plans include a 30% cut in the size of the civil service to pre-Brexit levels, as well as closing down six central government offices most of which are already being shut by the Cabinet Office."

Reform UK would enable ministers to ignore international law and gain powers to dismiss civil servants while restructuring government authority. Danny Kruger proposed rewriting the ministerial code and civil service code to remove legal and bureaucratic constraints. Ministers would exercise closer command over civil servants, with up to half appointed from outside parliament to the House of Lords as political appointees. The party seeks a roughly 30% reduction in civil service size to pre-Brexit levels and the closure of six central government offices. Kruger also raised stricter anti-trade union measures and warned of internal resistance from some civil servants.

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