Press Release – Ashford MP asks for new Reform Administration not to continue with “Tory-Style Austerity”

Sojan Joseph the Member of Parliament for Ashford, Hawkinge, and the Villages, describes the proposed cuts to local Government – the spearhead of Reform’s DOGE initiative and outlined in a recent letter to Kent County Council by the Reform Party’s Chairman, Zia Yusuf, Nigel Farage, the Party’s leader and MP for Clacton, and the new leader of KCC, Cllr Linden Kemkaran – as “continued Tory-style austerity”.

Whilst Mr Joseph supports fiscal responsibility, ensuring there is little wasteful spending at all levels of government, and recognises that people in Kent voted for change at the recent local election he believes it is very important to ensure that local services are protected in the interests of his constituents.

The Labour Government has provided substantial funding for local services since the election in July 2024, including £23,134,379 funding earmarked for Kent County Council 2025/26 financial year, up to £54.283 million for KCC’s road maintenance, over £13 million for repairs to local hospitals across East Kent, and extra SEND funding for the Local Authority in Kent (£337.4M 2025/26 compared to £322.7M in 2024/25).

The Reform Party took control of Kent County Council in the recent Local Elections have taken to mimicking the Trump Administration’s controversial DOGE programme, headed by the recently departed Elon Musk. When The DOGE programme was announced by the Trump Administration, Mr Musk claimed it could save upwards of $1 trillion. However, due to the many reversals to staffing cuts and U-Turns in policy – it is estimated it has saved around $16 billion, with some economists predicting it could cost the taxpayer more than it saves in the long-term.

The Reform Party are now making similar, unsubstantiated proposals – claiming that so-called “DEI Hires” are costing the Government £7 billion. The actual spend on DEI is closer to £27 million – this is amongst other recent unverified and unfunded claims rolled out by the Reform Party. This is therefore concerning when the incoming KCC administration are making similar claims and imposing similar policies.

Sojan Joseph MP Quote:

“The Labour Government has allocated more money to fix our decimated local services – more funding for roads, transport, roads, hospitals, schools.

 

Reform pursuing a policy of continued Tory-style austerity under the guise of efficiency is not what local councils need when public services have been stripped away for over a decade.

 

We do not need performative gimmicks – we need sensible solution to real problems my constituents in Ashford, Hawkinge and the Villages – and other residents across the county – have been facing; such as potholes, a shortage of SEND provision, and inadequate bus services.”

 

Notes to editors

https://x.com/ZiaYusufUK/status/1929248578951618591

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-equality-diversity-and-inclusion-expenditure-review/cs-edi-expenditure-review-data

https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/reform-uk-pledges-cuts-civil-service-edi-spend-tdnlxbdvb?msockid=06e5f499f9eb6f591427e05ff80b6eed

https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/send-dashboard/

ENDS