Labour 'could deny 10 million Britons a vote' in make-or-break election for Keir Starmer

Just four local authorities under the control of Sir Keir Starmer’s party have confirmed they will not postpone ballots, while 17 are still yet to decide, one week out from a January 15 deadline.

By contrast, only two Tory-run authorities will delay a vote, along with a single Liberal Democrat council.

While it is anticipated that the majority of councils will not delay elections, Labour-run quartet Preston, Chorley, Hyndburn and Blackburn with Darwen have already done so.

All four are areas where Reform UK is surging in the polls.

A recent poll in Hyndburn revealed Nigel Farage's party was rating at 39 per cent, while Labour was sat adrift in third with just 16 per cent.

Mr Farage has accused Labour of postponing the votes to save the party from electoral humiliation.

“This is the kind of outrageous behaviour you expect from a banana republic. Labour is damaging our democracy," he said.

Mr Farage has also suggested the 2026 Local Elections will be make-or-break for party leaders.

The Reform UK leader said May 7 will be the “single most significant” electoral test ahead of the next general election.

He added: "It's double or quits. As far as I'm concerned we are just going to go for it.

"If we come out of it without a single penny in the bank account and everyone is exhausted … It is the single most important event between now and the general election.

"On it depends the future of our Prime Minister, the future of the leader of the opposition and indeed my own relative strength or otherwise as leader of Reform.

"If we bombed people would ask questions. My entire focus and energy is on the planning and preparation for it."

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Liberal Democrats fumed: "The Government’s actions mean that 10 million people could see their democratic right to an election this May, and choice over who governs them locally, ripped away.

"We’re calling on the Government to reverse course and take these proposals off the table.”

And the Tories have accused Labour of "denying democracy and running scared of voters" because the party knows it is "in for a pasting at the ballot box".

The Prime Minister has denied the 2026 Local Elections represent a "referendum" on his Government.

"I was elected in 2024 with a five-year mandate to change the country, and that's what I intend to do," he told the BBC.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: “This is pointless speculation about a process that is still far from complete.

“So far, we’ve only had responses from less than half of the councils due to hold elections this year.

"These areas are in the best position to judge the impact of postponements on their area, and this Government will listen to them.

“There is a clear precedent for postponing local elections where local government reorganisation is in progress, as happened between 2019 and 2021.”