Council Vote Postpones Elections Amid Reorganisation
A controversial former council leader who described victims of the Rotherham grooming gangs as "poor white trash" could retain his seat for an additional year without facing voters. This follows a unanimous decision by Peterborough City Council's Labour administration to request a postponement of this May's local elections.
The council is one of 26 authorities across England that have asked the government for permission to delay the vote, citing a major reorganisation of local government. The government is expected to cancel at least 27 council elections, impacting more than a third of the 63 due this year.
Controversial Messages and Suspension
The councillor at the centre of the row is Dennis Jones. He stepped down as council leader and was suspended from the Labour Party last year after private messages he sent to a fellow councillor were made public.
The messages, shared by former councillor Daisy Blakemore-Creedon, who resigned over bullying claims, showed Jones writing: "Oh so white British cops f***ing poor white trash in Rotherham is OK, is it? Get a f***ing grip Daisy." He accused her of "aiming for populist votes and attention."
Blakemore-Creedon, who was 18 when elected in 2024, condemned the messages, stating the phrase "white trash" was "demeaning and classist" and trivialised the suffering of victims. Jones now sits as an independent councillor and was due to face re-election in May.
'Lack of Capacity' Cited for Delay
Councillor Shabina Qayyum, the council's Labour leader, defended the decision to seek a postponement. She stated it was due to a 'lack of capacity' as the council navigates Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), a process that will replace two-tier systems with new unitary authorities.
"Getting Peterborough City Council into a position to transfer statutory services to a new authority safely and legally is not without its challenges," Qayyum said. She emphasised the move was about a one-year postponement, not a cancellation, with elections now proposed for 2027.
The delay also affects another councillor, Rylan Ray, who is currently facing over 20 criminal charges, including counts of child sex offences. He could also remain in his post for another year while awaiting trial.
Political Backlash and Legal Threat
The move has sparked significant political backlash. Reform UK has accused Labour of "running scared" of voters, calling the delays "damaging our democracy." Nigel Farage is reportedly planning a legal bid to prevent the postponements, describing them as "the kind of outrageous behaviour you expect from a banana republic."
Nationally, the postponements mean hundreds of councillors will avoid facing the ballot box this year. Around 168 Labour councillors and approximately 174 Conservative councillors who were up for re-election are expected to serve an extra year.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer framed the issue as a "common sense" question, asking whether it makes sense to elect people to councils that will soon change their composition. A government spokesman noted there is a clear precedent for postponing elections during such reorganisations.
The final decision now rests with the Secretary of State, who is expected to confirm which elections will be postponed in the coming days.
