Government drops plan to delay 30 council elections after legal challenge

National Press Corporation(NPC)
United Kingdom
The government has abandoned plans to delay 30 council elections in England following legal advice, allowing all scheduled polls to go ahead as planned.

Local Government Secretary Steve Reed had previously approved postponing the elections until 2027, citing the need to support a major reorganisation of local government that would see some councils abolished and replaced with new unitary authorities.

However, the decision was challenged in court by Reform UK, with the case due to be heard at the High Court on Thursday.

In a letter to council leaders, Mr Reed confirmed the government had withdrawn its original decision and informed the court accordingly. He said the housing minister, who was not involved in the initial approval, had reviewed the matter urgently and concluded that the elections should proceed in May 2026.

The government has also agreed to cover Reform UK’s legal costs, which party sources estimate will exceed £100,000.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage claimed the reversal was a victory for voters, accusing the government of attempting to block millions from taking part in local democracy. He also criticised Prime Minister Keir Starmer, alleging cross-party cooperation to delay the polls.

Opposition parties welcomed the move. Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said the government had been forced into a “humiliating U-turn”, while Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch described the situation as “predictable chaos”.

Green Party co-leader Zack Polanski said the attempt to delay the elections was part of a “disturbing authoritarian trend”.

The elections had been among 136 local polls originally scheduled across England, with 63 councils eligible to seek postponements due to reorganisation. Of the 30 councils initially approved for delays, half were Labour-controlled, while others were led by the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats or had no overall control.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said the priority was now to provide certainty, confirming that all affected local elections would take place in May 2026.