Postponed local elections across England could be forced to go ahead after the Liberal Democrats begged Tory peers to back a high-stakes “fatal motion”.
Today, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has written to Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, pleading for her to instruct Tory peers to “defend our democracy” and back their motion.
Labour has been hit with a slew of criticism over the controversial move, which will see 29 councils postpone elections to 2027, but ministers have insisted it was necessary to facilitate local Government reorganisation.
Critics have claimed Sir Keir Starmer’s party is threatening democracy, with the move denying 4.5 million Britons the vote this May, and another 2.5 million voters denied their say for the second year running.
Of the 29 areas postponing elections, 21 are currently Labour-controlled, six are ruled under the Conservatives and one is run by the Liberal Democrats.
In the letter, exclusively shared with GB News, Sir Ed Davey has written to Mrs Badenoch that “the Liberal Democrats have been fighting tooth and nail to make sure local elections go ahead”.
He goes on to quote Mrs Badenoch’s words back at her, saying: “As you yourself have rightfully pointed out ‘People need their democracy. They want to have a chance to vote for their local representatives. This delay should not be happening'”.
The fatal motion, which is a rare parliamentary procedure designed to kill off legislation, is expected to be brought forward after recess.
The Liberal Democrat leader, with the help of Kemi Badenoch, could kill off Labour’s bid to postpone elections
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PA/GB NEWS
If the Tory leader whipped her peers to back it, the Liberal Democrats have argued the elections would have to go ahead.
Mrs Badenoch has said she is in favour of local elections going ahead but is not going to act like “a dictator” and force Tory councils to hold them.
Shadow Local Government Secretary James Cleverley has previously said: “Elections are the foundation stone of democracy, and we should we absolutely should not be cancelling elections.
“What we’ve seen is the Labour Government, arrogant and naive and cocky, thinking they can completely restructure English local Government all in one go.”
Today, GB News host Martin Daubney asked Liberal Democrat MP Alison Bennett: “Are you confident Kemi Badenoch will put politics to one side and do the right thing?”
Alison Bennett MP joined Martin Daubney to discuss the letter today
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GB NEWS
Ms Bennett, the MP for Mid Sussex, said: “Based on past performance, no, but the ball is in her court so let’s see.”
The Liberal Democrat MP belongs to Conservative-controlled West Sussex, which is delaying elections for a second year in a row.
She told GB News: “I would love to vote. And in an age when trust in democracy is going down, the Government being able to cancel elections on a whim is terrible and it just further erodes that loss in trust.”
When Martin asked if the councils “fear” their seats could be under threat, Ms Bennett said: “I think you might be onto something.
“They have done so badly in the last 18 months. At the beginning of the week, when we were wondering whether Starmer was about to resign… How did they get to this point in 18 months, with a massive majority, it just beggars belief!”
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.