Starmer abandons plans to cancel local elections

I tell you what! I have just seen the youngest councillor in the UK and he is a Reform councillor called George Finch. He is only 19 but what a breath of fresh air. He was positive and eloquent and has put off his Uni place to be a Councillor for Warwickshire. Very, very impressive and actually made Starmer look like a bumbling fool. Well impressed.

To be clear, the postponement of local elections was not illegal. The provision is in statute for the Secretary of State to do so, and the provision has been used on a number of occasions in the past by the governments of the day. It was the unprecedented scale of the postponements that caused people to question whether that provision should be removed.
electoral-reform.org.uk/government-right-to-reverse-the-decision-to-postpone-these-local-elections/

I am still waiting to find out if the postponement of the council elections was actually 'illegal'.

On whose authority are people making this claim? Can they cite the legislation which made it illegal?

Councils were given the choice of having elections now or deferring. The decision was theirs. Why aren't people attacking the councils which chose to defer? Do they think that councils were pressurised into making this decision?

So many questions need to be answered.

Rosie51

I'm rather dismayed (and no not a Reform voter, ever) that there are posters who think the illegal postponement of the elections in some areas is perfectly OK because it would save money. What other illegal acts are you happy to have because the money saved could be spent on other things? I'm not affected by the u-turn but think the law is the law and shouldn't be open to being broken just because it suits moneysaving. I wish more thought had been applied in the first place, as now there is unnecessary pressure being applied to get ready in those affected areas.

That is one of the things that has surprised me on this forum, since I have been on it.

Illegality is not seen as that big a deal.
Whoever does it.

Probably I should not have been surprised.

You are right AGAA4. The people who say that we should be ignoring Epstein because it has nothing to do with the UK apart from Andrew and Mandelson, that it is unconnected with Russian influence, that Reform is nothing to do with it, and the aim was not aimed at destabilising world economies, those who think it was ‘just’ about sex have their heads in buckets. It will be a very rude awakening.

I'm rather dismayed (and no not a Reform voter, ever) that there are posters who think the illegal postponement of the elections in some areas is perfectly OK because it would save money. What other illegal acts are you happy to have because the money saved could be spent on other things? I'm not affected by the u-turn but think the law is the law and shouldn't be open to being broken just because it suits moneysaving. I wish more thought had been applied in the first place, as now there is unnecessary pressure being applied to get ready in those affected areas.

*nanna8" the US are not as yet a hostile country. Russia is. I have a very good grip btw.

Jane43

Mollygo

before anybody comes back with comments about U turns Boris Johnson made over 30 U turns between 2019 and 2022
Is it a competition then?
I thought KS said it would be different. So if he makes fewer U-turns, that will be true.

Of course it’s not a competition, I am just sick of the U turn discussion as if no other government has ever made a U turn.

Labour are the government of the day, of course every move will be scrutinised, and rightly so.

Just because other parties have made U turns doesn’t mean that the U turns of the current Labour government cannot be discussed.

Saying but, but, the others done this is just playground politics.

I'm not a labour voter MT62

AGAA4

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

Yes, unlike labour AGAA4

Exactly, Oreo

I'm quite happy to say I won't be voting Reform.

However, what Keir tried to do was so wrong. Illegal in fact.

Oops. You need to give people reasons to vote Labour. Saying but reform are worse doesn't work.

You need to giv

Marg75

Of course people were denied, they conveniently used the reorganisation excuse but what it boils down to is that they were petrified of what the results would be and were prepared to sacrifice democracy and deny people's legal vote. It's so obvious but not to anyone who doesn't want to see it.

This is the crux of the matter.

Labour are terrified of a Reform success in local elections, which the taxpayer will now have to subsidise through Lab. having to pay Reforms fees.

Mollygo

^before anybody comes back with comments about U turns Boris Johnson made over 30 U turns between 2019 and 2022^
Is it a competition then?
I thought KS said it would be different. So if he makes fewer U-turns, that will be true.

Of course it’s not a competition, I am just sick of the U turn discussion as if no other government has ever made a U turn.

Its not guesswork re Russian bribes and Reform:

Reform activists have taken money in terms of Russian bribes

The former leader of Reform UK in Wales has been sentenced to 10 and a half years after he admitted accepting tens of thousands of pounds in cash to make pro-Russian statements to the media and European Parliament

Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said Nathan Gill had accepted money in "exchange for the improper execution of your public duties".

Gill was the Reform Welsh leader until the Autumn 2025

Sky news

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJzz_jLTpBs

AGAA4

A lot of outrage on here from those who are probably Reform voters.

Farage brought this about and people need to be reminded that Reform are taking tens of thousands of pounds from Russia to spread disinformation.
We are in danger from Russia more than ever now and any party taking money and working for them is not working in the interests of the British people.

More likely the USA than Russia. Get a grip.

Of course people were denied, they conveniently used the reorganisation excuse but what it boils down to is that they were petrified of what the results would be and were prepared to sacrifice democracy and deny people's legal vote. It's so obvious but not to anyone who doesn't want to see it.

A lot of outrage on here from those who are probably Reform voters.
Certainly not a Reform voter here, let's be very clear on that.
Certainly not someone who doesn't listen or do research when things are mentioned here either.

On last election day, I so very nearly voted Labour (for the first time), having listened to many discussions. I'm so very glad that at the last minute I didn't. (Mainly because of one overriding change that has cost me as an individual dearly. But that's my problem).

My outrage is that the man in charge thinks he can do what he likes, as on this occasion, without repercussions.
It's a shame there's no PM questions this week! Would have been interesting watching.

Oh I forgot, Reform did..
Farage is bad.
Farage is ill
Farage is..

The US is worse..
things are worse in other Countries..
look at the world news.
Everyone has forgotten Ukraine..[which they do a lot].

AGAA4

A lot of outrage on here from those who are probably Reform voters.

Farage brought this about and people need to be reminded that Reform are taking tens of thousands of pounds from Russia to spread disinformation.
We are in danger from Russia more than ever now and any party taking money and working for them is not working in the interests of the British people.

A lot of guesswork from you as you have no idea who will vote Reform in any elections.
People didn’t like Starmer trying to stop local elections it’s a matter of democracy.

It wont matter which way it is all spinned,
people told to look "over there aand not here"
some other party/person did so and so
things are not all bad
etc etc

AGAA4

A lot of outrage on here from those who are probably Reform voters.

Farage brought this about and people need to be reminded that Reform are taking tens of thousands of pounds from Russia to spread disinformation.
We are in danger from Russia more than ever now and any party taking money and working for them is not working in the interests of the British people.

We really are living in strange times.
The Epstein files and the response of the Potus should encourage us to accept its entirely possible that Farage and his merry band are focussed on destabilising our country.
Brexit Ukop 🙈

Iam64

theworriedwell

nanna8

Don’t say anything against Saint Keir, you will get condemned on here. Seriously, the people on gransnet are about the only ones who like him. Dreadful PM. He should be the foreign minister, shouldn’t he ? Much more his sort of thing , I think he would do ok at that.

Are you joking? If you haven't noticed all the anti posts I think you need new glasses.

And- listen to any answers, any questions, question time or phone ins and you’ll find comments on gransnet reflected. Some anti Labour/starmer, some reminding of the mess they inherited, need for stability and good things the govt is doing

Polarised simplistic shouting butters bo parsnipsb

There are always good bits and bad.

But this 14 U turns thing, is hardly stable.

I keep thinking about all the U turns to do with the Budget.
Businesses, and to a certain extent private people, didnt know if they were coming or going.

And now we have illegality[I will wait to see what happened there] before it was overturned[by Reform of all Parties].
Illegality on democracy of all things.
That which is often talked about to do with the US.

It is all a shocking mess.

Sorry ronib, getting my years muddled up, but it was debated in March 2025 in the Lords, and the elections were originally scheduled for 2026, so it is a year until the councils merge, so my point stands.