Reform UK has accused Angela Rayner of planning a huge election “stitch-up” that could deprive Nigel Farage of crucial victories between now and 2029. The accusation came after the Government published its new Devolution Bill, which will deliver a “generational shift in power” from Westminster to local people.

Ms Rayner championed: “We’re ushering in a new dawn of regional power and bringing decision-making to a local level so that no single street or household is left behind and every community thrives from our Plan for Change.” However, the legislation also makes a major change to how mayors are elected, in a move seen as an attempt to prevent Mr Farage causing further electoral upsets to Labour. Instead of the first past the post system used in parliamentary elections, Britons will vote for metro mayors using a more proportional supplementary vote system, in which electors pick their top two candidates and votes are redistributed so the winner has over 50% support.

According to one elections expert, this will make it harder for Reform UK to win the key races as they did in Lincolnshire and Hull last May.

Lord Hayward told the Express: “If [elections] were held now, there is no question that it’s likely to be at Reform’s disadvantage, because they might not get over the finishing line and other people might surpass them by transfers.”

He noted that Boris Johnson only moved mayoral elections away from the supplementary vote system and to first past the post in 2022 in order to give the Tories an electoral advantage.

“There’s no question that the 2022 Act was specifically aimed at ensuring that the Tories could win a mayoralty or two,” said Lord Hayward.

Lord Hayward said the changes will deprive Reform of wins (Image: Parliament Live)

While he said the move away from first past the post would damage Reform more than other parties, Lord Hayward explained it was harder to see which of the other parties would benefit most from the change due to the rise of multi-party politics, the threat to Labour from Jeremy Corbyn’s new breakaway, and areas with high Muslim populations voting more factionally.

A furious Reform UK source accused Ms Rayner of trying to interfere with next year’s elections, after allowing a number of pro-Reform council elections to be delayed earlier this year.

The source blasted: “Not content with cancelling this year’s local elections, Labour is now trying to stitch up next year’s mayoral elections in a deeply cynical attempt to diminish the success of Reform.

“We are on track to replicate our successes this May in next year’s elections so it’s no wonder they are doing this now.”

A spokesman for Ms Rayner’s department said: “We reject these assertions.

“Mayors serve millions of people yet can currently be elected by just a small proportion of the vote, and the supplementary vote system has been proven to work effectively – providing a strong, personal mandate for regional mayors. We are determined to make our elections fit for the future.”