A win for democracy and a win for Reform. Faced with a legal challenge from Nigel Farage, which was due to be heard within days, the government has backed down and announced that all local elections will now proceed as normal.
It was, of course, the job of the Conservatives to mount this type of effective opposition, but in truth, some of the postponements suited them, so it was left to a party with a handful of MPs but a mountain of determination.
It is no exaggeration to say that Reform has restored the franchise. However, one is entitled to wonder how the government, which presumably took legal advice before announcing the cancellations in the first place, can only now have realised the sheer illegality of what it so high-handedly put in place. Why has it waited until the eleventh hour before backing down? Has the advice changed? If so, will the Attorney General explain how?
The effects of this episode will likely be reflected in the polls. Why should electors queue up to vote for those who would have denied them the right?
Starmer must be chewing his pillow in the knowledge of the carnage he has probably unleashed upon his own party, and, by demonstrating both strength and determination, Reform can no longer be dismissed as merely a populist movement. It is effectively the Opposition.
For Starmer, it is yet another U-turn to add to the 13 or so that have preceded it. Another nail in the coffin of his authority. Another demonstration of weakness.
Party politics aside, however, it is a genuine victory for democracy. Until now, the rule has been clear: governments do not cancel elections in peace time. Starmer sought to override that.
Reform just made history at the ballot box without a single vote cast. This is unprecedented - Ann Widdecombe | Getty Images
Certainly, any government might briefly postpone an election. I recall just that debate in Blair’s time when there was a serious outbreak of foot and mouth disease, and movement around the countryside was being curtailed, but nobody who argued for it proposed anything more than a month.
In this case, Starmer was prepared to leave some local communities without any election for years, prolonging councillors’ time in office without any democratic mandate. It was a cynical abuse of power which has been rightly called out and rightly quashed.
It must be galling for ministers that the Government is now having to pay Reform’s costs, and one has to wonder how a former director of public prosecutions got them into such a muddle. He surely did not just assume that the courts would be his handmaidens? Is Never-Here Keir away with the fairies?
At least, after this, no other government will try to interfere with the democratic electoral cycle. Congratulations to Reform on a long-term victory which will benefit us all. Meanwhile, Farage can look forward to reaping the political rewards in May.
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