The following is the Opposition reply to the Ministerial Statement clearly opposing the idea (Hansard report)
Voters will now potentially be denied the right to elect their own representatives, and not for the first time under this Labour Government. This is the second year in a row that Ministers have scrambled to postpone elections. Now, while many people gather around their screens to watch movies like “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, we are sitting here discussing how Labour is trying to steal the elections.
There is no mandate for the Government’s botched reorganisation plan, and they have behaved as the sole actor, forcing local council leaders to reorganise, with little regard for local people and their democratic rights. Has the Electoral Commission been consulted on these latest changes, or has it been ignored once again? Just as the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission noted when mayoral elections were previously cancelled, the commission exists to protect the integrity of our electoral system, but time and again the Government seem content to brush aside its advice when it becomes inconvenient.
Do the Government still believe in the Gould principle—the long-standing agreement that election rules and practices should not be changed within the six-month period of a scheduled election—or is that expendable whenever Labour finds itself politically vulnerable? The Opposition accept that there is a precedent for a single-year delay, but that is not what we face. Do the Government accept the clear advice of the Electoral Commission that further delays are unacceptable? It said that scheduled polls should be postponed only in exceptional circumstances
—what are the exceptional circumstances in this case? We know the answer: Labour’s rushed, chaotic and flawed local government reorganisation plan. It is the Government’s fault, not local leaders’ fault.
December 20, 2025
I have read that postponing the elections is “illegitimate”.Who then sues who ?
I do not think Kemi should tell Conservative councils to postpone elections. Standing tall at a time of difficulty will show well for the improving Conservative support.
Reply She isn’t!
December 20, 2025
Who sues whom? Well you can be fairly sure the tax payers will end up with both sides legal costs and the courts will take ages and many court levels to conclude matters. Then doubtless we will end up with another Judge as appalling and deluded as Spider Broach Woman at the Supreme Court level. She claims she wore this broach only by chance and not by choice!
December 20, 2025
I am not aware of anyone who says she has, which is I think the right position for her.
December 20, 2025
Nice to see Kemi advocating the correct course of action. The memories of the public are long. Labour are going for Short term gain. Long term pain.
December 20, 2025
To build in your own personal image you have to first destroy, the existing structures and the society around them.
Not fond of conspiracy theory’s but the above is the doctrine of the WEF. As Sir Kier Starmer told the media he places the WEF ahead of the UK Parliament.
They just hate Democracy, then demonstrating that in practice seems to be Parliament and Governments policy.
For some that are selecting to delay have already delayed this is their second removal of democracy from the people
December 20, 2025
At the very least those individuals that are making the decision along with the MPs who support the removal of democracy should be named. There names should be circulated to every constituent they disenfranchised
December 20, 2025
The communists do it, the facists do it , Labour enjoys some very anti democratic bedfellows. How long before they cancel the 2029 general election, assuming they last that long.
December 20, 2025
Turkeys do not vote for Christmas because they know the risks, we do not extend to the turkeys the right to ban Christmas, and we certainly do not grant politicians the right to ban democracy. If the ballot box option s taken away from the voters who wish to remove an incompetent government, what option is left?
December 20, 2025
If the polls remain as they are it’s looking increasingly likely that the next GE will be cancelled. What will be the crisis deliberately concocted to bring this about? And how terrible will this be?
December 20, 2025
Well will the Conservatives seek A Judicial Review?
Thought not.
Reply JR of what? The conservatives are using their position to oppose it in Parliament.
December 20, 2025
Well with the huge majority that Liebour have that oposition wont bear much fruit!
JR of What? Do you need a list?
Grounds for Judicial Review
The proposal to cancel local elections could be subject to judicial review on several grounds:
Legality: If the government lacks the legal authority to cancel elections, this could be challenged.
Procedural Fairness: If the decision-making process was flawed or did not consider the views of affected parties, it may be deemed unfair.
Reasonableness: The rationale for postponing elections must be reasonable. If it appears to be politically motivated rather than based on genuine concerns, it could be challenged.
Reply I am well aware of theoretical grounds, but what is the case and evidence? They have a large majority to change the SI s.
December 20, 2025
John Slinger is apparently Vice Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Defending Democracy. Can someone in parliament question his track record of supporting the government in cancelling elections?
December 20, 2025
Running scared – simple as that.
December 20, 2025
As far as I’m concerned Liblabcon have pushed ahead with the abolition of England into EU regions after NE England voted no to a regional assembly in 2004 . You all have ignored the result . In referenda the government were told they did not want mayors either , then they were imposed . Mayors are elected on very low turnouts . This phoney devolution is some how supposed to answer the west Lothian question .
We have a situation where the Mayor of London thinks London is not even in England .
I want the London assembly abolished along with position of Mayor, then all other Mayors in England abolished . We have MPs who are supposed to do the job . An English Parliament is the next devolution we need