Reform UK leader Nigel Farage (Image: Getty)
Nigel Farage is facing a fightback from council staff over Reform UK's bid to cut public spending. The insurgent party has set up a "UK Doge", spearheaded by former chairman Zia Yusuf, based on the US Department of Government Efficiency which was led by tech billionaire Elon Musk.
But unions have reported a surge in membership in town halls run by Reform. Unison said it saw an average jump in new members of 167% between the week before the local elections and the one after the polls closed across the 10 Reform UK-controlled councils.
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Zia Yusuf is leading Reform's UK Doge (Image: Getty)
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There was an increase of 205% between the average weekly number of joiners in the previous weeks of 2025 and the week after the polls closed.
General secretary Christina McAnea said: "A party that's voted consistently against modest measures to improve working conditions and threatened to sack council staff at the earliest opportunity doesn't give confidence to working people.
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"Reform has been keen to shout about its tax and benefits giveaways, but there's precious little on which cherished public services will be sacrificed to pay for them."
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The biggest increase (1,320%) was in Durham where Reform leader Nigel Farage specifically told council staff to start looking for new jobs.
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It comes after GMB said membership had soared in Reform-run local authorities since May's elections.
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Councils where the union has seen an increase in membership include Durham, Lancashire, Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Nottinghamshire and Doncaster.
GMB national officer Rachel Harrison said: "Reform spouts a lot of nonsense about being on the side of workers, but these figures show people aren't buying it.
"Workers in Reform-led councils are flocking to join unions because they know the first thing Farage and his cronies will do is attack low-paid staff's terms and conditions."