A Norfolk county councillor has doubled-down on his pledge to give up his seat at the next round of local elections in a stand against Labour postponing the upcoming contests.
Last month, Simon Ring, an independent sitting on Norfolk County Council, chose to force a by-election so voters can have their say over whether he should stay in his post.
Sir Keir Starmer’s party ignited widespread fury after Labour confirmed 29 local authorities’ elections scheduled for May will be postponed, including those at the Tory-run Norfolk County Council.
Last month, Councillor Ring, who was elected to serve the Freebridge Lynn ward in 2024, told GB News the Government’s move was an “erosion of democracy”.
Once again renewing his vow to give up his seat, fighting against what critics describe as “authoritarian governance”, Mr Ring told the People’s Channel: “It’s the slow trickle erosion of democracy that I find so offensive.
“People have the right to vote. We are their representative. We’re not or we shouldn’t be just representing ourselves.
“And they need to have that voice. If I’m not representing them as they wish, they have the right to put somebody else in place.
“And if that is the outcome of the election that I will stand in, then so be it. That’s what elections are about. Governments can’t keep running away from the voice of the people.
‘Governments can’t keep running away from the voice of the people,’ Simon Ring told GB News
|
GB NEWS
“They’ve no idea what is going on at the ground. And and it shows from this that they’re really not interested in what people have got to say.
“They just want to do what they want to do, and they’re afraid that people don’t agree with them.”
Turnout is generally low in local elections, but it was lower than usual last year, at around 34 per cent of the electorate turning out to cast their ballot.
This voter apathy has stirred up questions about whether local elections actually matter – to which Mr Ring insists they are.
Steve Reed confirmed 29 council elections due to take place in May will be postponed
|
PAHe told GB News: “I can tell you we’re relevant to our residents because we’re the people that know the hardship that people are going through, the challenges that they’ve got, the problems they’ve got with highways, with health care, with adult social care, with children’s services.
“The challenges of getting their children to schools and getting places in schools.
“We are the people that know that we are the contact between them and the Government and the Government is ignoring us. They’re not interested in what people got to say.”
He added: “People aren’t turning out because people are fed up with national politics.”
Mr Ring’s fury has echoed bristling Britons up and down the nation, slinging criticism at the controversial move, which will see 29 councils postpone elections until next year.
Ministers, however, have insisted it was necessary to facilitate local Government reorganisation – and, in the process, denying 4.5 million Britons the vote this May, and another 2.5 million voters denied their say for the second year running.
In January, Local Government Secretary Steve Reed told GB News the decision to put off elections was not “denying democracy”.
Speaking to GB News’ Chopper’s Political Podcast, Mr Reed said: “It’s not denying democracy… It’s speeding up elections to the new councils that will replace the councils that are being that are being closed down. And I think that is sensible.”
The Government has insisted the postponement of local elections is down to the massive overhaul of local government structure as they replace district and county councils with new unitary authorities.
Authorities have claimed the transition will avoid duplication and ultimately save money.
But, as council budgets feel under strain, the Government has allowed councils that do not feel they have the capacity to hold elections and maintain services to a sufficient level at the same time, to postpone elections to 2027.