In a move that has sparked debate across the political spectrum, dozens of councils in England have postponed their local elections scheduled for this year. On Thursday, Local Government Secretary Steve Reed confirmed that 29 of the 136 council elections due to be held in May will now be delayed until 2027.
The government has cited a lack of capacity among local councils as the primary reason for the postponements, explaining that they were requested by the councils themselves amid an ongoing overhaul of local government structures. While Reed assured that the “vast majority” of polls will take place as planned, the decision has drawn criticism from opposition parties, who have accused the government of being “scared of the voters”.
The delays come as the Labour Party prepares to reorganise local government in England, scrapping two-tier authorities and merging them into single unitary councils by 2028. Last month, the government announced that some 63 council areas could postpone elections until 2027 after councils indicated they lacked the capacity to restructure in time.
Among the affected authorities are city councils in Lincoln, Exeter, Norwich, Peterborough and Preston, as well as several district councils such as Cannock Chase, Harlow, Welwyn Hatfield and West Lancashire. Polling day has also been postponed for county council voters in East Sussex, West Sussex, Norfolk and Suffolk.
The Electoral Commission has criticised the delays, stating that they risk “damaging public confidence”. Opposition parties have echoed these concerns, with James Cleverly, the shadow housing, communities and local government secretary, accusing Reed of trying to “cancel all these elections” and lacking the “courage of his own convictions”.
Nigel Farage, who had planned a judicial review in an attempt to force the elections to go ahead, has accused the communities secretary of an “abuse of power”. Labour is facing the prospect of a potential wipeout at the upcoming local elections, with Farage’s Reform UK party surging in polls across the country.
Reed, however, has denied that the government imposed the delays, stating that he “asked, listened, and acted” based on the councils’ requests. He has also refuted claims that the postponements are politically motivated, insisting that “no messing about, no playing politics” was involved in the decision-making process.
As the debate over the postponements continues, the government and local authorities will be closely watched to ensure that the restructuring efforts are carried out in a transparent and democratic manner, preserving the integrity of the electoral process.