The government has executed a significant U-turn on its decision to postpone 30 local elections across England that were scheduled for May, affecting more than 4.5 million people. This reversal marks a dramatic climbdown for the current administration, following intense scrutiny and a legal challenge.

The initial plan, confirmed in January, involved delaying elections for approximately 4 million people. The stated rationale from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) was to facilitate a massive reorganisation of local government. This reform aimed to replace the existing two-tier system, where district and county councils had separate responsibilities, with single-tier “unitary” authorities. The argument was that holding elections for these new councils in 2027 would make it an unnecessary expense to conduct dozens of elections for existing councils for just a single year, allowing current councillors to continue their terms. However, with nine councils having already postponed elections in 2025 for similar reasons, some areas faced the prospect of a two-year delay to their democratic process.

The catalyst for the government's change of heart was