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  "path": "/news/nigel-farage-scrap-law-keir-starmer-cancel-elections",
  "publishedAt": "2026-02-10T18:36:30.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "'Apathy turns to anger' as voters deliver damning Keir Starmer verdict in poll amid fight for future",
    "Andy Burnham takes veiled swipe at Keir Starmer but backs PM with Labour civil war warning",
    "Teen who murdered 'kindest little boy' Leo Ross sentenced to 13 years in custody",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nNigel Farage has vowed to scrap the law that allowed Sir Keir Starmer to cancel local elections for 4.6 million people.\n\nHe confirmed Reform UK’s next manifesto would include a commitment to remove a clause from the Local Government Act, giving ministers power to delay local authority elections.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe party leader has previously called Sir Keir a “dictator” after his Government decided to cancel 30 local elections that were due to take place on May 7.\n\nCouncils across the country were offered the chance to request postponement of the May elections in light of looming local government reorganisation, by submitting the request to Secretary of State for housing, communities and local government, Steve Reed.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nOpposition leaders have backed the campaign for a change in the law to prevent ministers being able to cancel local elections “at the stroke of a pen”, with some 30 councils having submitted for postponement.\n\nMr Farage said: “Reform UK will commit - in its manifesto - to removing section 87 from the 2000 Local Government Act.”\n\nIf Reform UK is elected into government and makes the alteration, it would prevent future governments from cancelling elections and “depriving voters of their right to choose.”\n\nNext week, a team of Reform UK lawyers will attempt to overturn the decision to cancel local elections in the High Court.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe legal challenge will be heard on Feb 19 and 20, with a decision expected in time for the postponed elections to go ahead if successful.\n\nMinisters have argued councils cannot afford to hold elections and prepare for local government reorganisation at the same time.\n\nLawyers representing the Labour Government are expected to justify the decision based on “exceptional circumstances”, whereby councils have said they are “struggling to prepare for resource-intensive elections”.\n\nDue to the cancellation of elections for millions of voters, households across the UK will have no say over who controls their local services and council tax for up to seven years.\n\n### LATEST DEVELOPMENTS\n\n\n\n\n  * 'Apathy turns to anger' as voters deliver damning Keir Starmer verdict in poll amid fight for future\n  * Andy Burnham takes veiled swipe at Keir Starmer but backs PM with Labour civil war warning\n  * Teen who murdered 'kindest little boy' Leo Ross sentenced to 13 years in custody\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe loophole was only supposed to be used in extreme circumstances, and was previously deployed during the Covid pandemic, but critics argue Labour has weaponised it to scrap ballots the party expected to lose.\n\nBasildon Council in Essex is just one of many local authorities that submitted for postponement of elections, despite a petition amassing thousands of signatures in favour of voters democratic rights.\n\nReform UK is no doubt rising in popularity in the borough, spearheaded by councillor Sam Journet who claims the cabinet went ahead despite constituents disapproval \"out of fear\" of losing to the popular party had elections gone ahead - as reflected in the borough’s polls showing Reform soar ahead of Labour.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nSpeaking at a rally in Birmingham on Monday, Mr Farage told supporters that Reform UK was on a “general election war footing” and would be ready to fight an election within two months.\n\nHe called the May 7 elections a “crucial” contest and likened them to the midterms in the US.\n\n“I’m not going to wait until after May 7 for the next phase,” he added, “because things are moving rather quickly out there.\n\n“I will, within the next few days, start to unveil the first people who will act as our spokesmen and act as our shadow cabinet ministers.”\n\nIn a previous statement to the commons, Steve Reed said: \"To those who say we’ve cancelled all the elections, we haven’t. To those who say it’s all Labour councils, it isn’t.\n\n\"I’ve asked, I’ve listened, and I’ve acted. No messing about, no playing politics, just getting on with the job of making local government work better for local people.”\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards:The GB News Editorial Charter **",
  "title": "Nigel Farage vows to scrap law that allowed Keir Starmer to cancel elections"
}