Nigel Farage vows to scrap law that allowed 'dictator' Keir Starmer to cancel elections

Nigel Farage has vowed to scrap the law that allowed Sir Keir Starmer to cancel local elections for 4.6 million voters.

He confirmed Reform UK’s next manifesto would include a commitment to remove a clause from the Local Government Act, giving ministers power to delay local authority elections.

Mr Farage previously called Sir Keir a “dictator” after his Government decided to cancel 30 local elections that were due to take place on May 7.Councils across the country were offered the chance to request postponement of the May elections in light of looming local government reorganisation, by submitting the request to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Steve Reed.

Opposition leaders have backed the campaign for a change in the law to prevent ministers being able to cancel local elections “at the stroke of a pen”, with some 30 councils having submitted for postponement.

Mr Farage said: “Reform UK will commit, in its manifesto, to removing section 87 from the 2000 Local Government Act.”

If Reform UK is elected into government and makes the alteration, it would prevent future governments from cancelling elections and “depriving voters of their right to choose".

Next week, a team of Reform UK lawyers will attempt to overturn the decision to cancel local elections in the High Court.

The legal challenge will be heard on February 19 and 20, with a decision expected in time for the postponed elections to go ahead if successful.

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