The UK government has abandoned plans to delay 30 council elections in England, following advice that the move could be unlawful. Local Government Secretary Steve Reed had initially approved the delays until 2027, citing concerns from some councils about the cost of running elections for authorities due to be abolished in a major reorganisation of local government.
According to a report by the BBC, Reform UK had launched a legal challenge against the plans, which was set to be heard in the High Court. The decision to reverse the delay has been welcomed by opposition parties, who had branded the move undemocratic.
Response to the Decision
Reform leader Nigel Farage said, "We took this Labour government to court and won." He also stated that if a government minister does something illegal, they should resign. The government has agreed to pay Reform's legal costs, which are expected to be at least £100,000.
Local Government Secretary Steve Reed said the government would provide an extra £63m to the 21 areas affected by the reorganisation. The proposed reforms would replace the two-tier system of district and county councils with new unitary authorities responsible for delivering all council services in their area.
Reaction from Opposition Parties
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said his party had fought to stop the delay and the government had been forced into a humiliating U-turn. Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said the decision was predictable chaos from a useless government that cannot make basic decisions.
Green Party leader Zack Polanski said he was pleased the government had done another U-turn, describing the attempt to delay elections as part of a disturbing authoritarian trend. Laura Lock, deputy chief executive of the Association of Electoral Administrators, said teams involved in organising elections had lost months of essential planning time.
Councils Affected
The 30 councils that had originally been given permission to delay their elections will now hold their elections in May 2026. The list of councils includes Adur District Council, Basildon Borough Council, and Blackburn with Darwen Council, among others.
