U-turn on local election delays puts spotlight back on Hampshire mayoral vote

The Labour government has abandoned plans to delay 30 local elections across the country, a move welcomed by Hampshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner.

The U-turn comes after Reform UK launched a legal challenge against the government, which was due to go to the High Court on Thursday.

The announcement does not affect Portsmouth City Council’s or Hampshire County Council’s elections, which are expected to go ahead in May this year.

However, local leaders have criticised the delays, including Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Donna Jones, who said she is “proud” that “every single local authority across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight refused the Labour Government’s offer of a delay to critical local elections”.

“I want to especially thank the thousands of local residents in Hampshire that signed my petition to defend democracy in our county.

“Today, we learn that the Government has had to u-turn again, allowing local elections to go ahead across the country. This is an open admission that Labour only delayed the elections because they were scared to face the public.”

Steve Reed, the local government secretary, had approved the delays until 2027 due to the cost of running elections for councils which will soon be abolished as part of local government reorganisation (LGR) and devolution.

Local government reorganisation would replace the two-tier system between county and district councils with larger unitary authorities that provide services to around 500,000 people.

The government’s devolution agenda aims to set up large authorities with powers and resources transferred from local government, led by directly elected mayors – as seen in London and Greater Manchester.

The election for the devolved authority spanning Hampshire and the Isle of Wight was also delayed from May 2026 to 2028.

Ms Jones added: “The government must now go further and reinstate the Mayoral elections, also due to be held in May. If they don’t they are openly depriving the British people of a local voice, local investment and upgrades to local public services, all to avoid an embarrassment at the ballot box.”

Martin Tod, the Liberal Democrat candidate, said “what a mess”.

He described the council election delays as a “disgrace”, but said the government still has a chance to undo the decision to delay the mayoral elections.

“We’re making a real difference in local government. We want to do more with the new Mayors. Put the Mayoral elections back on and we can get cracking from May.”

Lorna Fielker, Labour’s mayoral candidate, said she supports “the Government’s position that the first mayoral election should be held in 2028”.

“The combined authority needs time to be properly established, so the new Mayor can hit the ground running to deliver their mandate, rather than being bogged down in setting up the structures and governance of a new tier of government.”