Nigel Farage has lashed out at the Government, claiming Britain risks looking like a “banana republic” as Labour prepares to delay local council elections for millions of voters.
The row comes amid plans to postpone contests in dozens of councils across England, drawing anger from opposition parties and raising questions about local democracy.
Councils Asked About Postponing Elections Until 2027
Ministers are consulting 63 local authorities to see whether they want to push back elections scheduled for May 2026 to 2027.
Many of these councils, including Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Hampshire, East Sussex, and West Sussex, had already postponed their elections from May 2025 to 2026.
Some council leaders have expressed concern that holding elections next year could interfere with Labour’s ambitious plan to reorganise local government, replacing the two-tier county and district system with new unitary authorities expected to be in place by 2028.
Farage Accuses Tory Councils of Collusion with Labour
Farage, leader of Reform UK, accused Tory-led councils of “colluding” with Labour to delay elections, arguing that his party would have performed well in the contests.
“Turkeys don’t vote for Christmas,” he said.
“Tory county councils look set to collude with Labour to keep their control until 2027.
Only a banana republic bans elections.” He urged Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch to instruct council leaders to allow the elections to go ahead.
Liberal Democrats and Tory MPs Join Criticism
Sir Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, also criticised the potential delay, calling it “yet another Labour and Conservative stitch-up to deny people their votes in May.”
Meanwhile, senior Tory MP Sir James Cleverly, shadow local government secretary, highlighted the broken promises surrounding election timing.
“Labour promised council elections would go ahead as planned as recently as last week. Now they’re saying they won’t.
Another broken promise,” he said. Cleverly warned that councillors could end up serving seven-year terms if elections are delayed.
Government Explains the Rationale
Labour’s Alison McGovern, local government minister, defended the consultation process.
She explained that councils facing significant reorganisation and resource pressures had requested the option to postpone elections.
“We have listened to councils who’ve told us of the challenges they face reorganising while preparing for resource-intensive elections for areas which may shortly be abolished,” McGovern said.
She stressed that councils that see no reason to delay will go ahead with elections as scheduled, and that any postponements would be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Widespread Reorganisation Across England
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government revealed that 204 councils across 21 areas are undergoing reorganisation.
Some councils, like Surrey, are on a faster timetable and have not been asked about further postponements.
If delays are approved, elections for new unitary authorities would be held in May 2027.
Concerns About Democracy and Confusion
Cllr Richard Wright, chair of the District Councils’ Network, voiced concerns over the impact on local democracy.
“England’s local democracy is built around every councillor being elected for a four-year term, a cycle which should be broken only in the most exceptional circumstances,” he said.
Wright warned that constantly changing election schedules creates uncertainty for electoral officers, wastes public money, and confuses voters.
“This has the potential to undermine faith in our cherished local democracy,” he said.
A Political Battle Over Timing and Control
The debate over election delays reflects broader tensions between political parties, councils, and the Government.
Labour argues reorganisation requires careful planning and resources, while critics claim postponing elections is a way to maintain control and avoid voter scrutiny.
With councils having until mid-January to lodge requests, the coming weeks will reveal whether local elections in England will proceed as planned or be pushed back again, leaving voters waiting to cast their ballots.
Share on Facebook «||» Share on Twitter «||» Share on Reddit «||» Share on LinkedIn