It comes as Reform UK dominates local election polls.
The 22 Labour councils where Keir Starmer is plotting to delay local elections – full list (Image: Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)
Labour could delay local elections in 22 areas as Reform UK dominates the polls. Five Labour constituencies have requested delays, 17 areas haven’t ruled it out, and only four constituencies confirmed they will go ahead with voting in May.
In contrast, just one Liberal Democrat and two Conservative councils wanted to postpone, according to analysis by The Telegraph. It comes after Steve Reed, Keir Starmer‘s Communities Secretary, told local councils they could have the chance to delay their polls until 2027, to give them time to focus on local Government reorganisation.
Four of Labour’s postponements are in Northern England, where Reform is gaining popularity.
“This is the kind of outrageous behaviour you expect from a banana republic,” Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said. “Labour is damaging our democracy.”
One location is Blackburn with Darwen, where Labour is flailing in fourth place, behind an independent, the Greens and Reform, according to the Electoral Calculus constituency predictions. Hyndburn, Chorley and Preston have also requested delays, and in the latter, Reform is predicted to get 28% of the vote share, compared to Labour’s 18%.
It is a similar picture in Hyndburn, with Reform expected to get a huge majority of 38% compared to Starmer’s party with 14%. In Chorley, it could be a closer contest, with current predictions looking like Labour will gain 33% of the vote, compared to 22% for Reform.
Exeter has also suggested a delay, saying it would save money and allow the council to concentrate on reorganisation. A formal decision will be made in the next few days.
The Conservatives have requested delays in East Sussex and West Sussex. Seven have rejected delays. The Liberal Democrats want a delay in Cheltenham, although eight constituencies in the party rejected it.
The undecided constituencies will have to confirm by the Government’s deadline of January 15.
A Conservative spokesman said that Labour was “denying democracy and running scared of voters because they know they are in for a pasting at the ballot box.”
A spokesman for the Liberal Democrats called on Labour to reverse the proposals, adding: “The Government’s actions mean that 10 million people could see their democratic right to an election this May, and choice over who governs them locally, ripped away.”
Labour constituencies that have requested delays
- Hyndburn
- Preston
- Blackburn with Darwen
- Chorley
- Exeter*
Undecided Labour constituencies
- Adur
- Basildon
- Cambridge
- Cannock Chase
- Crawley
- Ipswich
- Norwich
- Nuneaton and Bedworth
- Oxford
- Peterborough
- Redditch
- Rugby
- Stevenage
- Tamworth
- Thurrock
- Worthing
- Lincoln
No delay
- Portsmouth
- Rushmoor
- Southampton
- West Lancashire
