JONATHAN SAXTY: Plans to consolidate local government pension schemes don't sound sexy - but the results could be genuinely revolutionary for UK

09:27, Thu, Feb 26, 2026 Updated: 09:28, Thu, Feb 26, 2026

Richard Tice

Reform Business, Trade and Energy spokesman Richard Tice promised 'blockbuster' change (Image: Getty)

Reform shadow deputy PM Richard Tice plans a blockbuster revolution to Britain's local government pension schemes to help fund a Singapore-style sovereign wealth fund. Tice announced this week that a Reform government would consolidate more than 100 of these schemes - covering around seven million people - into a roughly £500billion “sovereign wealth fund” to invest in UK businesses, generating an annual surplus of £20-£30billion.

Tice described the plan as “an absolute game-changer”. Reform has said new workers joining the local government pension scheme would be offered a defined contribution pension, enabling councils to cut existing employer contributions to around 10%, “saving councils millions and millions every year”.

Partly in his new role as shadow business secretary as well, Tice announced all net zero targets, zero-emissions vehicle mandates, employment rights and property rental rules introduced by Labour would end.

While critics claim Reform cannot take a local government scheme and transform it into a sovereign wealth fund, frankly the current system is a mess and needs fixing. There is chronic underinvestment in UK assets and something need to be done.

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Singapore, for example, has demonstrated through its Central Provident Fund (CPF), and two sovereign wealth funds - GIC and Temasek - how to support workers in the present and retirees in the future. The CPF enables Singaporeans to fund retirement, healthcare and even house purchases.

If Labour and the Tories have a better plan than Tice, then these two cheeks of the same backside ought to tell us all what it is. Reform at least offers some blue sky thinking about how to revitalise our economy, boost productivity and get more bang for all our bucks. Those of you still thinking of voting Tory, ask yourself one question: if the Conservatives have something better to offer why didn't they do it during their 15 years in office?