Does Britain need a Doge to cut government waste?

Albeit thus far confined to Nigel Farage and the crankier corners of social media, calls have been made for a UK version of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency Doge).

- SEAN O'GRADY

Examples of "waste" in public spending - notably in overseas aid contracts and research grants - have been cited as egregious examples of profligacy (possibly unfairly, stripped of context). Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has also expressed interest: “I said that we need to reboot [and] rewire the state. This is what we have to do. And I’m looking very closely at what they are doing in Doge.”

Is there waste in the British state?

Yes, just as there is in every nation – and, indeed, every private enterprise, charity, family budget and anything else that involves spending money and allocating resources. Every system is capable of being gamed and abused. Often it is actually far from hidden.