No 10 faces harsh criticism for mayoral elections delay

Ministers are to postpone elections for new mayors in four parts of England, prompting accusations from opposition parties that Downing Street is “cancelling democracy”.

- Eleni Courea Political correspondent

Newly created mayoralties in Greater Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk, Hampshire and the Solent, and Sussex and Brighton will be first contested in 2028 under the plans, ministers confirmed yesterday.

The government argued that the areas needed more time to complete their local government reorganisation, but faced criticism from opposition parties and the former Labour local government minister.

Jim McMahon, who was removed as a minister in September, said his party needed “to be better than this” and had “a moral and a legal obligation to honour its side of the bargain”.

Criticising the postponement in the Commons, he said: “All involved had a reasonable expectation that these elections would go ahead, and the government knows that trust is hard won but is easily squandered.”

The Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Reform UK all called the move, first reported by the Sun, an affront to democracy.