For seven months Helen Pidd has been keeping a close eye on what has been happening in Lancashire, her home county.
It is one of 10 local councils Reform has taken over – potentially a big indicator of what could happen if Nigel Farage’s party were to get into Downing Street. She was keen to see if Reform’s ‘anti-woke’ agenda would come crashing down when confronted with the cold hard realities of local government or if the party would prove itself more competent than people expected.
The council was in financial trouble when Reform took it over and promised major Doge-style cost-cutting. It said it hoped to slash waste and cut down on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. But, a few months in, things began to look like they might be getting tricky. A plan to close a care home left its residents furious, while a record number of complaints were made about Reform councillors.
Photograph: Duncan Elliott/The Guardian
