Labour expected to postpone mayoral elections by two years amid continued Reform poll lead
Why mayoral elections are set to be postponed for two years
- Keir Starmer’s government is expected to announce the postponement of crucial mayoral elections from 2026 to 2028.
- Elections for newly created mayoral posts in areas such as Cumbria, Cheshire & Warrington, and Norfolk & Suffolk were originally scheduled for next year.
- Briefing notes from officials suggest the delay is driven by fears that Nigel Farage’s Reform party would secure victories, as they did in previous mayoral races.
- The postponement would also result in the elections reverting to a proportional supplementary vote system, moving away from the current first past the post method.
- The Conservative party and Reform have criticised the decision, with Reform’s deputy leader Richard Tice claiming it demonstrates the government is 'terrified of Reform'.