The Labour government is embroiled in a fierce political row after confirming the postponement of four high-profile mayoral elections, a move opponents have branded a blatant attempt to 'subvert democracy'.
Elections Pushed Back Amid Dire Polling for Labour
The contests for the new combined authority mayors in Essex, Hampshire and the Solent, Sussex and Brighton, and Norfolk and Suffolk will now not take place until 2028. They were originally scheduled for May of this year.
The decision comes as Sir Keir Starmer's party braces for a potential hammering in the upcoming local elections, with polls showing the Prime Minister deeply unpopular and Labour trailing far behind Reform UK. This has fuelled accusations that the delays are politically motivated.
A 'Scandalous' Move or Necessary Reform?
Ministers have defended the move, arguing that more time is needed to finish the complex reorganisation of local authorities in England from two-tier systems to unitary councils. They insist rushing the process would be a mistake.
However, the opposition has reacted with fury. Reform UK's deputy leader, Richard Tice, accused Sir Keir of 'running scared', quipping that 'generally it’s dictators that cancel elections'. The Conservatives also condemned the plans. Shadow housing secretary Sir James Cleverly called it a 'scandalous attempt to subvert democracy by a Labour government whose credibility and popularity are already in tatters'.
The Liberal Democrats' local government spokesperson, Zoe Franklin, described the proposals as a 'disgrace', stating: 'Democracy delayed is democracy denied.'
Broader Context of Electoral Delays and Political Pressure
This is not an isolated postponement. Battles in nine council areas – East Sussex, West Sussex, Essex, Thurrock, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Norfolk, Suffolk and Surrey – have already been pushed back from this year to 2026.
The political pressure on Labour is intensifying. Reform UK enjoyed significant success in last May's local elections, winning more than 600 seats and taking control of 10 councils. The party also famously toppled a 14,000-strong Labour majority in a parliamentary by-election, demonstrating its growing threat.
When challenged on Sky News that Nigel Farage had likened the move to the actions of 'despots, not democrats', children's minister Josh MacAlister hit back. He defended the government's approach to devolution and accused critics of hypocrisy, saying: 'We will take no lectures from these people about democracy... who, not that many years ago, were proroguing Parliament.'
With speculation rife about a potential leadership challenge if Labour performs poorly in the remaining May elections, the decision to delay these key mayoral votes has ignited a fierce debate about the health of British democratic processes.
