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The leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Ed Davey, has warned that nearly 10 million people in England might have their democratic right to vote taken away if proposed delays to certain local elections proceed. In a letter to the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), he questioned whether the government’s handling of the elections warranted an investigation, describing their approach as “cavalier.” Meanwhile, Reform UK’s Zia Yusuf announced plans to push for a parliamentary vote opposing the delays, which he labeled as “extremely dangerous.”
These proposed postponements follow government indications last week that delays could be granted if councils requested them due to challenges in managing elections alongside significant local government reforms. Some councils have expressed reluctance to spend money on elections for councillor roles that are set to be abolished as part of the ongoing reorganisation. Downing Street has emphasized that any deferrals would be temporary, lawful, and constrained by statutory safeguards, requiring councils to prove there were exceptional reasons. Ministers have promised close scrutiny over each case.
The government’s extensive plan for local government reform, announced last year, represents the most substantial restructuring in half a century. This includes introducing a mayor for every region and merging existing two-tier authorities by 2028. Earlier this year, the government signaled that nine areas could postpone the 2025 elections until 2026 to better prepare for the transition. Subsequently, all 63 councils impacted by the changes were asked whether they needed to delay their elections due in May 2026. On the final day before the Christmas parliamentary recess, Local Government Minister Alison McGovern confirmed that multiple councils had requested such postponements, with Hastings and East and West Sussex among those already confirmed. Other councils plan to decide early in the new year, ahead of the 15 January deadline.
Sir Ed Davey’s letter to the EHRC highlighted Article 3 of the first protocol of the Human Rights Act, which guarantees the right to free elections. He suggested that cancelling elections unnecessarily violates this right and sought confirmation on whether the EHRC intended to investigate the government’s approach. Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesperson Lisa Smart criticized the delays on BBC Radio Four’s Today programme, calling the move “an attempt to stitch things up by people who don’t think they’re going to do a lot of winning in May.” She argued the postponements could extend some councillors’ terms to potentially seven years without voter approval and noted no Liberal Democrat council leaders affected were known to be requesting delays. The upcoming May elections are seen as critical, with results expected to influence potential leadership challenges for both Labour’s Sir Keir Starmer and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch.
Reform UK has pledged to introduce a Private Members’ Bill aimed at forcing elections to proceed as scheduled in May, though it faces slim chances of becoming law. Zia Yusuf described the bill’s purpose as motivating MPs to oppose what he called collusion between Labour and the Conservatives to deprive millions of their vote for a second consecutive year. He also criticized Tory councillors continuing in office without renewed electoral mandates, referring to them as “illegitimately squatting in their posts.” Among the 63 councils consulted on delays, Labour holds a majority in 18, Conservatives in 9, and Liberal Democrats in 7. The Conservatives, defending the most seats (610), have accused the government of fearing voters, though Badenoch indicated she would not prevent Conservative-led councils from seeking postponements. She emphasized the need to listen to councils but personally advocated for holding all elections on schedule.
Criticism has also come from the Green Party’s Baroness Jenny Jones, who suggested that delay decisions could allow Labour-run councils to “avoid meltdown at the polls” while also supporting “tired and stale Conservative administrations.” The UK’s Electoral Commission expressed concern as well. Its chief executive, Vijay Rangarajan, highlighted a “clear conflict of interest” in allowing existing councils to decide when they should next be accountable to voters. In response, the government defended its “locally-led approach,” claiming councils are best positioned to assess the impacts of postponements. A spokesperson added that these are exceptional circumstances where councils face difficulties preparing for resource-intensive elections to authorities that soon will be abolished, alongside efforts to form more efficient local bodies better able to serve residents
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