com. The Electoral Commission's chief executive said capacity constraints are not a legitimate reason for delaying elections. Reform UK's legal team argued the postponement is 'patently irrational' in peacetime and contradicts democratic rights.
The government's authority to cancel elections derives from section 87 of the Local Government Act 2000. The High Court has not blocked the government; a further hearing is set for 19 and 20 February. The government states no decisions have been made yet over any delays.
Denying elections is the behaviour of a banana republic.
Around 600 councillors could serve an additional year due to the delays. During the Second World War, all local elections in England were suspended between 1939 and 1944. In 2025, nine councils had their elections delayed by one year to support transitions to new unitary structures.
Scholars at the UCL Constitution Unit warned in 2022 that the UK faced a real risk of 'democratic backsliding'.