Reform UK has accused Labour of wanting to “silence” the electorate by delaying some local elections next year, despite requests for reorganisation being common practice in local governance.
James McMurdock – who is facing scrutiny over a previous conviction for assaulting a former girlfriend – spoke in the House of Commons after it was revealed a small number of council elections could be delayed if they are being overhauled.
He said Labour had “laid out a framework” to “game” elections, while Lee Anderson dubbed the prime minister a “coward” on social media and likened his administration to a South American military regime.
Nigel Farage also branded Starmer a “dictator” while the party’s chairman, Zia Yusuf accused Labour of “trying to stop the English County Council Elections.”
But the truth seems to have evaded the Reform UK party, who despite advocating for a ‘devolution revolution’, seem to have overlooked the fact that Labour is simply trying to hand more powers to local authorities.
Under new devolution plans outlined by Angela Rayner, some smaller district councils will be combined into bigger “strategic authorities” with more sway over their areas.
Those who choose to merge won’t be contested at an election because, put simply, they will no longer exist.
“At the moment, the assumption is that elections are going ahead,” housing minister Jim McMahon told LBC on Sunday.
“However, it’s usual in a process of reorganisation that when a council makes a request for reorganisation – that if there are elections taking place to a council that essentially won’t exist within the term of those elections – then you hold off the elections and you elect to a shadow body, and the shadow body basically is a form of the new councils that will follow.”
Some local authorities have already requested reorganisation, he added, saying there will be a statutory consultation before any changes are made.