Danny Kruger says he is drawing inspiration from Trump when planning Reform’s take over of power.

Kruger says Trump “came into government with exactly the same analysis we have – that the federal government wasn’t under the control of the administration. And he has taken deliberate steps to bring it back under control.

“The actual individual aspects of his programme are individual to the US, not to us, nor do I think we’d emulate his particular style… I think stylistically we’d be more British about it.

“Nevertheless we are deadly serious about making profoundly deep structural change to the system. Yes, the analogy of the US is legitimate.”

Danny Kruger has hinted that a Reform government may reform Whitehall so some of the most senior mandarins in the country are political appointees, as is the case in the USA.

On reforms to the ministerial code, he points to the requirement for ministers to acknowledge international law in their decision making. He would remove this.

On the civil service code, again he cites the international law in that. The definition of impartiality, he argues, is also too narrow.

Current impartiality rules only talk about party political bias, but he says there are other biases that don’t breach the rule.

Danny Kruger says reform of the Cabinet Office is crucial, despite much of the public not knowing that the institution exists.

“It’s this mysterious brain of Whitehall, and it is clearly dysfunctional. No. 10 is an appendix of the Cabinet Office.”

He says Reform will streamline the centre and ensure the PM holds the reins of power.

Zia Yusuf defends Reform UK’s record in local government so far, citing Kent, which has already discovered north of £60m of identified savings in under six months.

“By my reckoning, that is the largest amount of savings ever found by a council in the UK outside of a bankruptcy process.

“I think that’s pretty good going.”

He insists over 90 councils in the UK have raised council tax by more 5%, of which zero are Reform councils (40 Labour, 35 Tories).

He hits out at the “insane expectation” that Reform will totally transform local politics in six months “was always for the birds”

Asked about comments from 20 years ago about the need for ‘creative destruction of the state’, Kruger insists Reform is only talking about restoring the state, not introducing a wrecking ball.

He says, “We’re not Leninists, we don’t want to wreck the British state, we want to make it work and make it functional”.

But he does promise “radical change”

Danny Kruger has issued a call to action to experts, who could help Reform’s preparations for government

He calls on them to get in touch with the party.

“I cannot stress enough the weight of responsibility, the importance of the mission that Nigel, Zia, Richard and the rest of us have taken on.

“The fundamental reason people are increasingly backing Reform is because they believe us when we say we’ll bring change.”

Kruger says a Reform government will prefer the ideas, institutions and people of the UK over those of elsewhere.

“We will restore the basis of our democracy, putting ministers properly in charge of the government”.

He sets out four key points:

1. We will be ready – When Farage walks into No10 after the next election Kruger says he doesn’t want the Cabinet Secretary to welcome him in like the next ‘short term tenant’.

“I want Nigel and his team to sit the civil servants down and tell them the plan.”

The plan will be a lot bigger and more structural than just decorative reforms. There will be new legislation drafted and ready to go; a new ministerial code; and a new civil service code drafter. People lined up for key appointments. All starting on day one.

2. We will grip the civil service itself

Kruger says Reform will not accept that ministers have to take advice from, and trust the execution of decisions to, officials who answer to different bosses and cannot be sacked.

Reform will bring more expertise and advice from outside Whitehall.

Civil servants will be answerable to politicians for their jobs.

Reform will reverse the rise in the civil service headcount. Kruger puts the civil service “on notice”

The civil service will also lose £100m a year-worth of buildings, with leases not renewed by a Reform government

3. The wider system outside Whitehall must understand and respect the mandate of a Reform government

Reform respects institutions, like the Lords, courts, police and civil service, provided they respect the democratic mandate of the government.

The courts must be politically neutral.

4. The institution we respect the most is parliament. International law, the civil service, the quangocracy and trade unions are not there to second guess the government, but parliament is.

Brexit and elections were to establish and empower our parliament. Reform UK will restore parliamentary government

This means restoring parliament as the proper legislative body of the UK. Reform will reform parliament to increase scrutiny of the government’s bills.

Kruger says that while the problems facing Britain are many and varied, the cause of the problems are “simple”.

“Since 1997 we have had governments that firstly don’t share the attitudes of the country they govern, and secondly they aren’t properly in charge of the state”

Danny Kruger is up, insisting he is perfectly happy in his new party.

He describes Reform as a ‘pirate ship’, but says it needs to be turned into HM’s Royal Navy ship of the line.

“Yes Reform believes that politics can be fun, but the people I’ve met since joining this party last month are deadly serious”

He says Reform need to be the real grown ups of British politics and “Take control” of the state.

Zia Yusuf says that while private sector productivity has grown by 45% since 1997, public sector growth has been near 0% in the same time.

He said it’s a “catastrophe” for the country, with failing assets being bailed out by successful assets.

He says Reform will deal with this.

Zia Yusuf says Reform UK is preparing for government, not out of hubris but political reality.

Mr Yusuf cites the 100+ opinion polls in a row in which Reform has led.

“It would be criminally irresponsible if Reform UK were not preparing for government”

The Government is planning for further military bases to be used to house asylum seekers, a minister said, after it emerged migrants would be moved to the sites of two barracks.

But defence minister Luke Pollard appeared to suggest that the cost of moving migrants into the bases could be higher than housing them in hotels.

The Home Office confirmed on Monday that two barracks in Scotland and southern England would be used to house about 900 men temporarily.

The plans will see men housed at Cameron Barracks in Inverness and Crowborough Training Camp in East Sussex.

Danny Kruger will kick off today’s Reform press conference at about 11am.

Reform MP Danny Kruger has said the party “can’t apologise enough” for Sarah Pochin’s comments on race in adverts, but that she’s not “actually racist”

He tells Times Radio: “I think that’s a really regrettable thing that she said, because it’s so offensive to suggest that seeing black and Asian faces made her mad. Obviously, she was trying to say something different. There’s no excuse, but it is the truth that she was talking about over-representation of minorities.”

“We are very sorry that she caused such offence. I’m glad she’s apologised. But I give credit to Nigel Farage as well, because he’s being sensible here. He knows that she made a mistake. She’s not actually racist. Racism is about intention. She didn’t mean to say what people would easily imagine she might have meant. But we can’t apologise enough for the offence that she caused.”

Nigel Farage has blasted Essex councillors who are trying to get the local elections in the area delayed by another year.

He writes in his constituency’s local newspaper: “Tory council leaders across the country are quite openly admitting they want the elections to be delayed because they fear Reform will win.

“It would mean that millions of people will have been robbed of their right to vote once again because the people in charge don’t like the potential result.

“Why on earth should people pay their council tax it they don’t get the chance to vote for people who implement policies that affect their lives locally?”

Kemi Badenoch has torn into Nigel Farage’s proposals for Parliament to take control of the grooming gang inquiry.

The Tory leader said: “We need a judge-led, statutory inquiry into the rape gangs. A parliamentary commission couldn’t compel witnesses and could end up harming criminal prosecutions.

“Once again Reform have rushed out with an announcement before checking their facts. I will continue to support the survivors in their calls for a full, judge-led inquiry.”

Reform has maintained its commanding lead over other parties, despite a difficult week’s-worth of headlines.

YouGov finds Reform up one point to 27%, while Labour has crashed down three points to its lowest level of support ever.

Sir Keir’s party is now tied with the Tories, and just one point ahead of Zack Polanski’s Greens.