The government has withdrawn plans to postpone local elections in 30 authorities after receiving legal advice warning the cancellation could be deemed unlawful, forcing ministers to reverse course following Nigel Farage’s High Court legal action.
Local Government Secretary Steve Reed confirmed the U-turn in a 353-word letter to council leaders, stating: “The Government can confirm that all local elections in May 2026 will now go ahead.”
The Ministry of Housing & Local Government had approved postponing polls in 30 local authorities, citing drastic council restructuring plans as justification. However, the department received legal advice that proved fatal to the cancellation strategy, prompting the swift reversal.
A government spokesman confirmed: “Following legal advice, the Government has withdrawn its original decision to postpone 30 local elections in May.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.”
Reed announced £63 million in additional capacity funding for 21 local areas undergoing reorganisation across the programme, building on £7.6 million provided for developing proposals last year. “I recognise that many of the local councils undergoing reorganisation voiced genuine concerns about the pressure they are under as we seek to deliver the most ambitious reforms of local government in a generation,” the minister wrote.
The Electoral Commission had raised particular concerns about “double delays” affecting West Sussex, East Sussex, Suffolk, Norfolk and Surrey. These five councils would have seen their councillors serve seven-year terms rather than the standard four years had the cancellation proceeded.
The legal advice warning that postponement could be illegal provided the technical justification for abandoning the plan, which had already faced Farage’s High Court challenge. The Reform UK leader mounted legal action against the government’s attempt to cancel elections affecting 4.5 million voters.
Farage claimed victory following the announcement, stating on X: “We took this Labour government to court and won. In collusion with the Tories, Keir Starmer tried to stop 4.6 million people voting on May 7th. Only Reform UK fights for democracy.”
The Reform UK leader’s characterization of Labour working “in collusion with the Tories” references cross-party support that existed for postponing elections during council restructuring. The legal challenge exposed vulnerabilities in the government’s position that legal advice subsequently confirmed.
Reed stated he would “shortly set out further detail about how that funding will be allocated” to the 21 areas receiving additional capacity support. The minister’s letter emphasized the government’s commitment to delivering ambitious local government reforms whilst ensuring elections proceed as scheduled.
The £63 million funding package represents an attempt to address concerns from councils undergoing reorganisation who warned about pressures they faced implementing structural changes whilst preparing for elections. The additional resources aim to enable authorities to manage both processes simultaneously.
Voters in the 30 affected authorities will now participate in May 2026 local elections as originally scheduled. Councillors will serve standard four-year terms rather than the extended periods that would have resulted from postponement.
The government’s restructuring plans for local authorities will proceed despite elections going ahead, with the additional funding designed to enable councils to manage both processes concurrently. Reed’s promise of further detail on funding allocation suggests implementation guidance will follow shortly.
The reversal demonstrates the importance of robust legal frameworks surrounding electoral processes and the effectiveness of legal challenges in protecting democratic rights. The combination of legal advice warning of illegality and Farage’s High Court action created circumstances where proceeding with cancellation became untenable.
