Starmer abandons plans to cancel local elections

Primrose53

I heard on the radio that this was Starmer’s biggest U Turn so far.

He said on Jeremy Vine Show late morning today that he would make no more U turns. By 2.30 he had U Turned and threw in the towel before it got to court on Thursday. Biggest U turn in the shortest time.

I get the sense you are enjoying this.

I think some people are revelling in this sixandahalf. Do they care so little for this country.

I’d guess it was a simple equation of the cost and time to fight the case versus the elections going ahead. It does seem a bit bonkers to me to run council elections in May for those areas which are merging in April 2027, only to run them again in a year’s time. I suppose though that it will give the electorate in those areas a chance to vote differently next year if they are scandal driven and end up with a dreadful crew in charge. It will be interesting to see the turnout.

Casdon, thanks for being the voice of reason.
Stopping some local elections was about saving public money, not stifling democracy

sixandahalf

Primrose53

I heard on the radio that this was Starmer’s biggest U Turn so far.

He said on Jeremy Vine Show late morning today that he would make no more U turns. By 2.30 he had U Turned and threw in the towel before it got to court on Thursday. Biggest U turn in the shortest time.

I get the sense you are enjoying this.

Just reporting what happened.
Their lawyers were told they do not have an arguable case.
They also have to pay the legal fees to Reform so very embarrassing for Labour.

Samsara1

Am I the only one here who voted for him and doesn't want him to go?

No you’re not, I want a stable government that is given the chance to get on with implementing the rest of its manifesto, and before anybody comes back with comments about U turns Boris Johnson made over 30 U turns between 2019 and 2022.

Primrose53

sixandahalf

Primrose53

I heard on the radio that this was Starmer’s biggest U Turn so far.

He said on Jeremy Vine Show late morning today that he would make no more U turns. By 2.30 he had U Turned and threw in the towel before it got to court on Thursday. Biggest U turn in the shortest time.

I get the sense you are enjoying this.

Just reporting what happened.
Their lawyers were told they do not have an arguable case.
They also have to pay the legal fees to Reform so very embarrassing for Labour.

It will also be embarrassing for Reform when the cost of these unnecessary elections puts council tax up even more.

They also have to pay the legal fees to Reform so very embarrassing for Labour

So you are not merely passing on information, you are enjoying it and hoping Reform do well on the back of it?

I fear for the chaos which is coming our way.

SWGran

Im curious, why would anyone’s heart sink because some people are now allowed to exercise their democratic right to vote?

Sorry, my command of the English language is clearly faulty.

My heart sank at the news of yet another U turn.

GrannyGravy13

Our area is not on the list as going ahead 🤷‍♀️

Local elections have different time scales, ours are every four years and the next one isn’t due until 2027. If you look on your local council website you will see the arrangements for your local elections.

Our city council is a power sharing one, with Labour, Lib Dems, and a minority of Greens sharing power. It's actually working remarkably well for people despite local problems. We are not due for boundary changes (except just one ward). 33% of seats are up for election (ie, would have been anyway) Labour is likely to lose out to Lib Dems in some wards (there will of course be tactical voting) and Reform in others. I really hope Reform councillors will attempt to work with the situation, and not send it into chaos by just "voting against" some new quite imaginative initiatives in social care and particularly our fairly extensive plans for brown site social housing. What I mean is, they don't set out deliberately on a wrecking course, but have alternatives sensibly put forward. They wont get control.

They have targeted an area with a huge social housing estate to pick up the "Red wall" vote. Door knocking will be interesting...

This area draws more money and resources from the council in terms of social need than any other: benefits, support services like family support and drop in centres, youth work, and so on.
I wonder if the prospective councillor for the area will call for cuts in council spending, which will hit this area more than any other in the city

Democracy and our right to vote is very precious. Imagine a situation in which you vote for a candidate from one partly and they can then just change the party they support without reference to the electorate’s who votes for them. Lucky that Reform which are such champions of democracy would never countenance such a person joining them. Oh wait a minute ………

It’s happened many times in the past Tuliptree sometimes even happens in the HOC when an MP ‘crosses the floor’.
It isn’t unheard of by any means.

The Govt. took legal advice after Reform brought a legal challenge.

Why on earth didn't the Govt take legal advice before stating that councils could choose not to have elections

MaizieD

SWGran

Im curious, why would anyone’s heart sink because some people are now allowed to exercise their democratic right to vote?

Sorry, my command of the English language is clearly faulty.

My heart sank at the news of yet another U turn.

The 16th! In a year and a half.

Oreo

It’s happened many times in the past Tuliptree sometimes even happens in the HOC when an MP ‘crosses the floor’.
It isn’t unheard of by any means.

That doesn’t make it right though. It’s a self serving practice I’ve always thought stinks for the people who elect somebody to serve for a specific party.

I think he ought to change his name to teflon Starmer. he is dong as Prime Minister what worked so well when he was DPP. Whenever anything that had gone wrong came up and people turned to him as DPP to respond, the response was always 'Nothing to do with me'. I didn't see the papers, no one referred it to me, my deputy did it.

Now he is constantly doing the same thing in government. Today's flip-flop had nothing to do with him. I forget whose fault it was this time, but it was certainly nothing to do with him.

It may not feel right to some, but the MP also has a right to join a different party.He will still be doing his best for his constituency as he hopes to be re-elected.If people want keep him at the next GE it’s up to them.

M0nica 😂 a big boy did it and ran away!

Madgran77

The Govt. took legal advice after Reform brought a legal challenge.

Why on earth didn't the Govt take legal advice before stating that councils could choose not to have elections

That is what I dont understand.

I presume it will all be in tomorrows' papers.

When you say some Oreo, I think you’d find it was most people. It’s not a party political issue. If an MP or councillor wants to change party mid term then it should trigger a by election, and if people want the individual more than the party they can vote for him or her then.

But it doesn’t trigger a by election and those who think it should maybe campaign for it.
You don’t vote just for a Party to be your MP you vote for the person likely to do the best job.

There is a campaign. It is due to be debated in parliament on 16th March.

sixandahalf

*They also have to pay the legal fees to Reform so very embarrassing for Labour*

So you are not merely passing on information, you are enjoying it and hoping Reform do well on the back of it?

I fear for the chaos which is coming our way.

Have a go at Starmer, not me. He’s the one who caused all this.

Well there you are then.