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BrewDog founder launches Shadow Doge - "Scrutiny is absolutely essential"

ended 13. February 2025

BrewDog founder James Watt has this morning launched a Shadow Doge - which he refers to as an “unofficial, underground cousin of America’s Department Of Government Efficiency” - in a post on LinkedIn. Newspage asked business owners what they think of this — PR gimmick or genuine attempt to hold wasteful government bodies to account and create a more efficient and productive economy. Their thoughts will appear below until 16:00.

5 responses from the Newspage community

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Tony Redondo
Founder at Cosmos Currency Exchange
James Watt’s launch of Shadow Doge — his self-styled “unofficial, underground cousin” of the Department of Government Efficiency — is classic BrewDog-style PR: provocative, disruptive and headline-grabbing. Given BrewDog’s track record of bold marketing stunts, this has the hallmarks of another viral move aimed at generating buzz. The name alone—Shadow Doge, an apparent nod to both “shadow government” and the Doge meme—suggests a tongue-in-cheek approach rather than a serious policy initiative. Having said that, Watt has been outspoken on government inefficiency, so there may be some sincerity behind his message. However, without real influence or policy leverage, it’s unclear how much impact this “shadow” entity can have beyond media attention and debate. Even if it’s primarily a PR stunt, if it sparks a broader discussion on government efficiency, productivity and wasteful spending, it will be really worthwhile given the level of taxation and government waste in the UK.
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Keith Budden
Managing Director at Ensurety
While James Watt may be well-intentioned, I rather suspect the underlying motive for this is clickbait rather than real action. In that sense it has already suceeded. After all, we are all here talking about it. While doubtless there is waste within our civil service, the chance of it being uncovered by a renegade army outside of the civil service is unlikely. Indeed with a cynical hat on, the man hours put into answering the landslide of freedom of information requests needed to seriously complete this challenge would probably cost many of the millions this crusade is aiming to save. So good try James, but move along now, nothing to see here.
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Riz Malik
Independent Financial Adviser at R3 Wealth
From bat tunnels to electric Porsches, both the current and former governments have shown a talent for wasting public money. At a time when people are being asked to endure cutbacks and contribute more from their own pockets, greater scrutiny of government spending isn’t just necessary, it’s essential.
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Craig Fish
Director at Lodestone Mortgages
Both the previous and current government have shown a real skill of mishandling the UK's finances. They expect the public to make cutbacks, while the new policy of tax, tax, tax leaves little room for any more cutbacks. Its time for things to change, and despite its headline grabbing and marketing led title, I believe there is some real sincerity behind James' idea. Scrutiny is absolutely essential in light of the state in which the UK economy finds itself. It's time for the inexperienced to move over, and let those with a clear head for business step in. Britain could be GREAT again, if the right people were in charge. This scrutiny is the first step in the right direction.
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Kundan Bhaduri
Entrepreneur, Investor and Landlord at The Kushman Group
I for one have offered my support to the UK's unofficial DOGE. I have been working in the shadows for the past 4 weeks collating various FOIs to local councils, district councils and county councils, all HM services (HMP, HMLR, HM Courts, Home Office, HM Treasury), wasteful government departments such as Departments of Education, Media and Culture, Justice, Housing and Communities on funding for wasteful endeavours such as DEI-related expenses, shameful virtue signalling and to push us into collective shame and guilt about the empire. I will also look to enlist a staff member at my cost, just so we can get our heads around and write to all the exhaustive government branches and our High Commissions globally. Every single one of them. We are coming for you. There will be close scrutiny of the foreign aid as well. However it plays out, we are looking to bring about an anti-woke, pro-common sense revolution in this country.