Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has launched a scathing attack, claiming Britain is becoming a "banana republic" following reports that Labour is preparing to delay local council elections for a second consecutive year, affecting millions of voters.
Elections Facing Further Postponement Until 2027
According to reports, ministers are ready to ask county councils in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Hampshire, and West Sussex if they wish to suspend contests for another year. These Tory-controlled local authorities had already postponed elections scheduled for May of this year until 2026, a move impacting up to five million people.
The initial delay was attributed to Labour's sweeping reorganisation of local government, which aims to abolish the existing two-tier system of county and district councils in favour of creating single, larger authorities. The Times has now reported that elections in these areas could be pushed back even further to 2027 after lobbying by council leaders.
Claims of Collusion and Democratic Denial
Nigel Farage has alleged that Tory-led councils are "colluding" with the Labour government to postpone elections in which his Reform UK party is anticipated to perform strongly. "Turkeys don't vote for Christmas," Farage stated. "Tory county councils look set to collude with Labour to keep their control until 2027."
He added, "only a banana republic bans elections," and called on Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch to "instruct her council leaders to allow elections to go ahead."
The controversy follows the Government's recent decision to delay elections for newly-created mayors in the same areas until 2028.
Cross-Party Anger and Accusations of a 'Stitch-Up'
Local Government Secretary Steve Reed is said to have listened to councils' concerns about their ability to deliver the planned reorganisation without a further delay. However, this has sparked anger from opposition parties.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey expressed fury, stating: "This is looking like yet another Labour and Conservative stitch-up to deny people their votes in May." He urged Kemi Badenoch to stop Conservative council leaders from delaying elections "just because they are running scared of the Liberal Democrats."
Shadow local government secretary, senior Tory MP Sir James Cleverly, highlighted a recent promise from Steve Reed that all elections set for May 2026 would proceed. "Labour promised council elections would go ahead as planned as recently as last week. Now they're saying they won't. Another broken promise," Cleverly said.
He accused Labour of being "scared of the voters" and argued it "cannot be right" that some councillors could end up serving seven-year terms without facing the electorate. "Voters will now be denied the right to elect their own representatives - and not for the first time under this Labour Government," he concluded.
