27 Councils Seek 2026 Election Delay – Labour‑Led Majority

Sky News announced that 27 local councils across the UK have written to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities requesting a one‑year postponement of their May 2026 elections. Of those, 20 are led by Labour, either in majority or as coalition leaders, while two are Conservative, two Liberal Democrat, one Green and one independent. The request stems from the cost and resource demands of the Local Government Reform (LGR) programme, and councils fear holding elections for positions that would only sit for a year. The government’s surprise offer, announced Thursday before Christmas, allowed councils to seek delays for the biggest reorganisation of local bodies in decades. Opposition parties warn the change could erode public confidence and undermine democratic legitimacy.