The Government has made a dramatic U-turn, abandoning its controversial plans to postpone council elections scheduled for this May across 30 local authorities. This reversal comes after Reform UK mounted a legal challenge, prompting ministers to receive fresh legal advice that forced the withdrawal of the decision.
Legal Pressure Forces Government Retreat
Local Government Secretary Steve Reed had initially approved proposals to delay the polls, arguing that this would facilitate a major reorganisation of local authorities—described as the most ambitious reforms in a generation. However, in a letter to council leaders on Monday, Mr. Reed confirmed that the Government had written to the High Court to withdraw the decision "in light of recent legal advice."
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) stated that "providing certainty to councils about their local elections is now the most crucial thing," signalling a shift in priorities following the legal scrutiny. As part of the settlement, the Government has agreed to pay Reform UK's legal costs, acknowledging the party's successful challenge.
Financial Support and Political Fallout
In his communication, Mr. Reed announced that £63 million will be made available to local authorities undergoing structural changes, with officials set to engage affected councils to assess if further practical support is required. He recognised the "genuine concerns" voiced by councils about the pressures of delivering these reforms.
The political repercussions have been swift and severe. Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, hailed the reversal as a victory for democracy and called for Mr. Reed's resignation, alleging that the minister had "acted illegally." Farage defended the legal challenge, stating, "The idea I should apologise because it costs money to hold elections... I won't even begin to apologise."
Widespread Criticism Across Party Lines
Opposition leaders have seized on the episode to criticise the Government's competence. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch described it as "predictable chaos from a useless Government that cannot make basic decisions," while Shadow local government secretary Sir James Cleverly dismissed Labour as a "joke" and claimed Mr. Reed's credibility was "now completely gone."
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey argued that the Government had been "forced into a humiliating U-turn" and should be stripped of its power to "cancel elections on a whim." He revealed that the Liberal Democrats have brought forward an amendment to change the law, aiming to protect the public's voice by statute rather than ministerial discretion.
Green Party leader Zack Polanski expressed pleasure at the U-turn, describing the planned delays as part of "a disturbing authoritarian trend from this caretaker Prime Minister."
Affected Councils and Legal Proceedings
The postponed elections would have impacted city councils in Lincoln, Exeter, Norwich, Peterborough, and Preston, alongside several districts including Cannock Chase, Harlow, Welwyn Hatfield, and West Lancashire. County council voters in East Sussex, West Sussex, Norfolk, and Suffolk would also have faced delays.
In a court order published in January, Mr Justice Chamberlain noted that Reform UK sought an order temporarily blocking the Government from changing election dates pending a full hearing. The party had requested the court to determine the full claim before the end of March, when notices of election are published, with another hearing scheduled for Thursday prior to the Government's withdrawal.
An MHCLG spokesperson concluded, "Following legal advice, the Government has withdrawn its original decision to postpone 30 local elections in May. Providing certainty to councils about their local elections is now the most crucial thing and all local elections will now go ahead in May 2026."
