‘I believe that the scale of such unauthorised data transfers across local government is a cyber-security disaster waiting to happen’
The Tories have said that the information watchdog should open an investigation into Reform UK’s data grab at councils.
In May, Reform sent a letter to Kent County Council requesting “full and prompt” access to council-held documents, reports, and records related to finance, procurement, audit, and contract data.
The Tories have claimed that Reform has demanded information about the identities of whistleblowers and the names and addresses of people who receive meals on wheels.
They have added that there is a “lack of legal basis” to Reform’s data grab.
In a letter to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), Kevin Hollinrake, Shadow Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Secretary, said: “I believe that the scale of such unauthorised data transfers across local government is a cyber-security disaster waiting to happen.”
The letter added: “There is a strong public interest in the Information Commissioner taking pro-active steps to investigate and, if necessary, issue enforcement notices against the public authorities and Reform UK Ltd.
“I also suspect that council staff would welcome the support of the Information Commissioner, given the clear threats to sack them if they sound the alarm on breaches of the law.”
He added that it is not in the financial interests of taxpayers for their council to be exposed to the liability of fines for breaching the law.
Kent is the first council Reform’s ‘Doge’ team is set to scrutinise for waste. Zia Yusuf, who quit the party last week has now rejoined as head of Reform’s ‘Doge’ team.
The Institute for Government has said that Reform’s ‘cost-cutting’ team is a “superficial response to deep problems in local government” and that any savings it might identify are likely to be illusory, and could be illegal.
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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