Why Reform UK have a point about Scotland's quangos (but we should be wary of 'chainsaws')
All parties need to realise that Scotland has too many ‘devolved public bodies’, aka quangos
There is much wrong with Reform UK’s policies. However, that does not mean they are wrong about everything.
A pledge in its new manifesto to “shut down the quangos and return their powers to democratically elected ministers supported by the civil service” may seem simplistic, but its heart is in the right place.
If this sounds familiar, that’s because it is. Only last month, Scottish Labour promised to “tear apart” bureaucracy and red tape, and reduce the number of quangos and government bodies by a third over the course of the next parliament.
Make government more efficient
This cross-party consensus is based on the simple fact that despite taxes being at record levels, public services are in a mess. With little scope to raise taxation even further – something the SNP have recognised – and even less to make cuts to frontline services, the only other option is to make government more efficient.
If this can be done, public services should improve with beneficial knock-on effects to the economy. For example, reducing waiting lists for hospital treatment would enable people to return to work more quickly.
However, great care needs to be taken when undertaking any major changes to government. The ‘chainsaw’ approach – as championed by Argentina’s populist president Javier Milei and Elon Musk, during his short time as Donald Trump’s ‘Doge’ supremo – comes with serious risks.
Whether Reform UK’s rather green politicians could be trusted with such an important task in the highly unlikely event that they became the next Scottish Government – or even to scrutinise the process as the largest opposition party – is a question voters need to consider.
Greater democratic control
But hopefully all parties, including the SNP, are coming round to the idea that, at 133, Scotland has too many ‘devolved public bodies’, aka quangos, and that there should be a major reorganisation of how government works after May’s election.
Not only would this save money, it would also enable services to be brought under closer democratic control, so that they are more responsive to public opinion and ministers can be held accountable for any and all problems.
‘Reform’ is vital, even if Reform UK may not be the best party to deliver it.
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.