Electoral Commission Criticises Government Proposal to Delay Local Elections Amidst Council Requests for Postponement
The Electoral Commission has criticised the UK government's unprecedented move to consider delaying 63 local council elections, emphasizing that postponements should be exceptional and warning that such delays could damage public confidence in the electoral process.
Five councils—Blackburn with Darwen (Labour), Chorley (Labour), East Sussex (Conservative minority), Hastings (Green minority), and West Sussex (Conservative)—have confirmed they will seek postponements. Additionally, four mayoral elections scheduled for May 2026 have reportedly been postponed as part of the government's broader action.
Decisions on these postponements will not be made until mid-January, with a government deadline set for 15 January. As of publication, 17 authorities had responded regarding the issue, 33 indicated they would decide before the deadline, and 12 councils stated they would not request any delays.
Electoral Commission chief Vijay Rangarajan voiced concerns that capacity constraints are not a legitimate justification to delay elections that have been planned long in advance. He cautioned that the proposed delays could undermine the legitimacy of the elections and erode public trust. Rangarajan further highlighted a 'clear conflict of interest' in allowing the existing councils, which may benefit from postponements, to decide how long they will remain answerable to voters.
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (MHCLG) defended the approach as "locally led," stating that councils are best placed to judge the impact of postponements. MHCLG also cited precedents for postponing elections during local government reorganisations in 2019 and 2022.
