Nigel Farage slams Labour and Tories over election delays

REFORM UK leader Nigel Farage has criticised Labour and the Tories over local election delays, accusing them of seeking to undermine democracy.

He said on GB News: “In May last year, a number of English county councils did not hold the elections they were due after the four-year term.

“We were assured at the time by the Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, it would simply be a one year delay, all because of local government reorganisation.

“And once again in November, when questions were asked at the House, we were told, ‘No, no, the elections will go ahead’.

“And then suddenly, on the 18th of December, Minister Alison McGovern said this in the House of Commons…’If a council voices genuine concerns, we’ll take these issues seriously and would be minded to grant a delay in those areas’.

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“So basically, if you’ve served four years, or in the case of those delayed last year, five years, and you don’t fancy an election, we’ll just postpone it. No problem at all.

“Well, immediately after that, on December the 19th, James Cleverly came out for the Conservative Party with a sense of outrage.

“Well, good to see some principle back in politics, or so I thought, until two hours later, when Conservative-controlled East and West Sussex county councils, despite having cancelled last year, announced they’re cancelled again this year.

“The democratic mandate has run out. Surely, that’s the point. Well, could up to 10 million people lose their vote?”

He added: “Well, I have to say, I think the whole thing is very, very cynical indeed. And you know, if the elections in Kent went ahead last year, why didn’t they over the water in Essex?

“I mean, there’s no logic to any of this, none whatsoever.”