The UK councils that have requested delays to local elections for 2026
Twenty-nine councils request delays to local elections
- Twenty-nine councils across the UK have requested a delay to their local elections scheduled for May, with Labour-led authorities forming the majority.
- The requests are attributed to a lack of resources for local government reorganisation (LGR) and the cost of holding elections, linked to Labour's plans to merge two-tier authorities.
- Opposition parties, including the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, and Reform UK, have strongly criticised the delays, accusing Labour of avoiding voters and undermining democracy.
- Nigel Farage of Reform UK has launched a judicial review to challenge the delays, alleging an ”abuse of power” by the communities secretary.
- The Electoral Commission's chief executive, Vijay Rangarajan, expressed disappointment, saying that such delays create ”unprecedented” uncertainty and risk damaging public confidence.