Local Elections: Cancellation

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle Excerpts

Wednesday 21st January 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Taylor of Stevenage (Lab)]

On the noble Lord’s point about the Electoral Commission, we wrote to the Electoral Commission to notify it, and last week I met the commission to discuss the matter. On elections to county councils, our intention is to hold elections for the shadow authorities in 2027.

[Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (GP)]

My Lords, my question is asked in the light of the result of today’s Horsley by-election for Derbyshire County Council, in which the Green Party took the seat from Reform with 43% of the vote. Reform had 35% of the vote, the Conservatives 14% and Labour 4%. Given that the political landscape is clearly changing, and people’s political views are changing very fast, is it not right that every community in the land should have representatives who reflect their current political views?

[Baroness Taylor of Stevenage (Lab)]

If those elections are agreed for cancellation, the councillors who would have been due for election will already have an electoral mandate. The councils have decided whether they wish to go ahead with the elections. This is about the capacity of the councils; it is not a political issue.