Is democracy being stolen? Or mayoral vote about business?

PLYMOUTH, your choice and your democracy is trying to be stolen from you. But together, we won't let that happen. By voting for a Mayor on the 17th of July, you will be saying that you will not stand for being lied to, have a party cheat, or have your freedom to choose and your democracy stolen from you by career politicians.

- ANGUS FORBES, SPONSOR OF THE MAYOR FOR PLYMOUTH CAMPAIGN, HAS CALLED ON THE PEOPLE OF PLYMOUTH TO VOTE FOR A MAYOR TO 'STOP DEMOCRACY BEING STOLEN'

So, what's happening? The Minister for Local Government has just rushed through an amendment to legislation specifically designed to control whether you get a Mayor should you vote for one.

After the shortest allowed period of 21 days, the amendment to the legislation comes into effect on the 16th of July, JUST ONE DAY before our referendum.

This amendment says that if the people of Plymouth choose to be governed by a Mayor, they will not have that election until May 2027, instead of May 2026 as current law dictates. This allows the government time to pass legislation stopping the creation of more local authority mayors should they want that outcome.

As a result of this intervention, parallels are quite rightly being made across the city to us living in North Korea or Russia, as if we are living under an authoritarian regime.

Why take this drastic action? Why not support your valid petition, your valid referendum, your freedom of choice, your freedom to dictate how you are governed, a right that exists under current law? This is because they know if you vote for a Mayor on the 17th of July, it is likely that Labour would lose power in Plymouth come the Mayoral elections in May 2026. Some members of the Labour party have decided they don’t want to take that chance, and they've changed the law to try to stop you.