Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Minister has considered the potential implications for the delivery of scheduled Police and Crime Commissioner, London Mayoral and Assembly, Combined Authority Mayoral and local government elections and vote counting across the UK on 7 May 2020 of the decision to move the Early May Bank Holiday in 2020 from Monday 4 May to Friday 8 May to mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day; and what steps he is taking to ensure Returning Officers and their staff are supported to discharge their duties for those elections.

The Government believes it is fitting to give the whole nation a chance to commemorate the
sacrifices made during the Second World War, to secure the democratic freedoms we enjoy today

This will be done by moving the early May Bank Holiday from 4 to 8 May, the 75 th Anniversary of
Victory in Europe (VE) Day
On this historic occasion the Government wants to ensure as many people as possible have the
valuable opportunity to pay a fitting tribute to our remaining heroes of the Second World War. The
day will also serve as an occasion thank all members of the Armed Forces Family who have
served and who continue to serve our country.

We recognise there will be implications for the counting of votes in some of the Police and Crime
Commissioner, London Mayoral and Assembly, combined authority mayoral, local mayoral and
local government elections which will have taken place the day before the VE Day bank holiday in
2020. We are continuing to discuss these practical implications with local authorities and electoral
administrators.