Throwing so much of local government up in the air in a planned reorganisation and then using that as an excuse to delay and cancel elections is a bad idea. A governing party that is languishing in fourth place in some of the polls looks as if it is scared of having to run for re election.The public is not so persuaded of the need for larger units and elected Mayors as the government is , and certainly not if we are denied the right to vote any time soon.
Nor is the public keen on the idea of stripping out the option of trial by jury for so many cases.The courts are not running slow for lack of jurors but for lack of court time and for lack of judges. It looks like another attack on our ancient liberties.
This was not set out in their Manifesto, and is serving to increase their unpopularity. No wonder there are at last signs of labour MP revolts over the poor direction of the government.
December 20, 2025
This was not set out in their Manifesto, and is serving to increase their unpopularity. No wonder there are at last signs of labour MP revolts over the poor direction of the government.
I heard somewhere that a party of government doesn’t have to follow the pledges made in a manifestos, so as been proven by this bunch of idiots we have in charge so basically they can do the hell what they like a specialty when they have a whopping majority
December 20, 2025
Several years ago, there was a rather pompous chap on the radio, who, when questioned said that manifestos weren’t worth the paper they were written on. That no-one ever follows them.
That’s certainly true of this current government’s approach to things. Perhaps they should be made relevant?
December 20, 2025
Gay marriage was in no manifesto
December 20, 2025
Morning Sir John,
Perhaps our PM is frightened to put his government up for re-election because he knows he is unlikely to win. If that is true, I suspect that may be the reason he seems so determined to have a war with Russia, because he could suspend all elections during such a war.
The proposed removal of jury trials, Gibraltar’s border control, The Chaagos Islands, Erasmus Scheme, erosion of free speech etc. It seems we have a government who has a cavalier attitude to democracy.
December 20, 2025
Starmer would seem to sing from Putin’s hymn book.
December 20, 2025
Good Morning,
I believe we have a very dangerous personality in No. 10. Someone who has come to power in a democratic system, but who is not, in truth, a democrat by belief. (How he came to power, by a vacuum of competence) I believe, by his actions so far, that he is instinctively authoritarian with a hard core socialist dream. He wants to see a pan-Europe, socialist superstate, despite the present experiment already showing signs of failure. He does not accept criticism and IS following a plan to ‘level-down’ the UK, to be broken in economy and spirit ready to be subsumed by a corrupt and desperate EU.
December 20, 2025
Correct. Most of the nations which make up the EU have a very recent experience of democracy. Within living memory they were either Communist or Fascist.
Two-Tier fits right in.
December 20, 2025
@ Peter Wood
It certainly looks that way!
December 20, 2025
Seem so!
December 20, 2025
The war criminal Putin held one of his Xmas stage-managed phone-ins yesterday, in which he told the state TV channel RT that Ukraine and NATO started the war. Putin also made vehement denials that he wants to expand the war to other European states that were once part of the Soviet Empire
Western intelligence agencies disagree. They think Russia is planning to expand the war to the Baltic states and Poland
Putin is KGB and a proven liar. Two days before he invaded Ukraine, he made similar “categorical” denials. Despite having lost an estimated 480,000 Russian conscripts killed with ~1.35 million injured (including 3500 dead N Korean conscripts) Putin still bombs Ukraine civilians every night.
Putin is not going to stop his war of aggression against Ukraine and the rest of us. Ultimately, NATO is going to have to intervene.
December 20, 2025
I look forward to your post informing us that you’ve joined the Army and are ready to go and fight the Big Bad Putin.
December 20, 2025
Let us hope than that the UK, EU and Nato all ditch the insanity of net zero and climate alarmism so we can have decent defence systems to deter if and when needed. Mr Gold! The deluded Miliband energy agenda is not remotely compatible with sound defence systems or a sound economy!
December 20, 2025
When government behaves as though it does not fear the verdict of the electorate, and then denies voters the opportunity to pass that verdict, we are entitled to draw our own conclusions.
I’d be surprised if an attempt at least is not made to delay the General Election too.
December 20, 2025
I agree. The drums of war are slowly being beaten.
December 20, 2025
@ Nick
You’re not alone in that fear. A lot of people are concerned about the next general election!
Peter Wood’s description seems close to the mark with our PM et al.
December 20, 2025
Are there many signs of Labour MP revolts of the appalling direction of this government? They have absolutely everything wrong.
The idea of a single judge or even a single anyone deciding on people’s liverty is appalling. The outcome will largely be dependent on the view of that on person which will likely vary hugely depending on that persons political views, their life experiences, their hopes for propment and much else. Almost completely randon. We have seen six appeal court judges twice refuse any appeal to Lucy Letby on any of her 15 totally unsound convictions.
Other dire judges who decided on Lucy Connolly’s 31 months sentence “there is no arguable basis on which it couldvbe said that the sentence imposed by the judge was manifestly excessive. The
application for leave to appeal against sentence therefore fails and is refused.”
It is hard to see any arguable basis for any custodial sentence what so ever!
December 20, 2025
See Jacob Rees-Mogg’s excellent videos on Starmers European Fiddle over the Erasmus Scheme and his ones with David Starkey.
Also out from the excellent Dr Clare Craig her new book Spiked: A shot in the dark (part two). For people who genuinely want to understand the disaster that was the “safe and effective”, Covid “VACCINE” luncy. Thank goodness we have excellent & honest people like Dr Clare Craig. The war on people from government, Handcock, O’Brian, Ofcom tying to shut up the people telling the truth on Covid was surely pure evil.
So when will the government stop hiding the damning stats. on the vast Covid “Vaccine” injuries and deaths caused (broken down by vaccine status). Ten years, fifteen, thirty… ? Another blood scandal, Hillsborough, post office, Thalidomide… scandal.
“It doesn’t make any difference how beautiful your guess is. It doesn’t make any difference how smart you are, who made the guess, or what his name is—If it disagrees with experiment, it’s wrong. That’s all there is to it.” Richard Feynman.
December 20, 2025
Good morning.
I am getting reports that they are even refusing to talk to the press. If true, this marks a new low.
December 20, 2025
The decision as to whether to delay local elections is being left up to each individual affected council to make. It is not being imposed by central government.
Reply Not so. Councils are being consulted but a Minister needs to sign off any cancellation.
December 20, 2025
Does it ever occur to this rotten government that those whom they and councils are meant to serve, i.e. the electorate, might wish to decide if elections should take place or not and not leave it to the whims of party-political, partisan politicians?
December 20, 2025
I see Reeves is now saying she may well need increase taxes further in 2026 !
When will these fools in Government realise that you cannot borrow more, tax more, and spend more (increase welfare) and still get economic growth.
The only growth you will get is a greater national debt, and more wealthy people and businesses leaving the Country.
We cannot survive on selling each other cups of coffee, and increasing the number of charity shops.
As for cancelling elections, that surely is the road to eventual political disaster.
December 20, 2025
The ongoing reorganisation of local government into unitary Authorities and Elected Mayors may suit urban councils but the model has not adapted well to rural areas. Economies of scale have resulted in decision making being made farther away from the people and, frequently, the majority of the council members come from the urban centres and have different views and priorities from the rural constituents.
As for elected Mayors, they say it is being done to improve democratic representation. If that is the case why is the Prime Minister not separately elected as the Leader of Parliament. The responsibilities of Counties and Boroughs caused confusion – now we have the larger responsibilities of Mayors and Unitaries to cause confusion.
Why can’t we make democracy simpler?
December 20, 2025
So we can expect the National election to be undergoing reorganisation in due course so that they can be delayed.
We are truly living in a third world one party state.
December 20, 2025
Covid lockdowns rolled the pitch for this move. Without postponing elections because of Covid this would be an unacceptable move.
Those lockdowns were wrong on so many levels