Islanders could be denied their right to vote in local elections for a second consecutive time, sparking concern that sitting Isle of Wight councillors may end up serving significantly extended terms without public accountability.
The alarm has been raised following a report in The Times which suggests that County Council elections, currently scheduled for May 2026, could be delayed once again.
In February, the Government delayed local elections across 9 areas, including Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, citing the need to support the Devolution Priority Programme. Now, it has been suggested that next year’s elections may also be postponed due to cost.
If next May’s local elections don’t go ahead, some Isle of Wight councillors could end up serving 7-year terms.
Donna Jones, Conservative candidate for Mayor of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, has strongly opposed any further delay. She has said:
“A second delay to local elections would be completely unacceptable. Residents have a right to choose who represents them, that choice should not be postponed by Ministers.
“Last year’s delay was to enable devolution to proceed, but that process is now complete. The mayoral election will take place in May 2026 and is not in question. But local elections across the country are in jeopardy.
“The cost of the local elections is being cited as the reason to delay. The question is, what value do you put on democracy? The message this sends and the worrying trend of taking away people’s voice is wholly unacceptable.
Article continues below this advertisement “The Isle of Wight isn’t due to be affected by local government reorganisation, so any further delay there would be absolutely unnecessary.
“Elections must go ahead as planned in 2026.”
Councillor Ed Blake, leader of the Isle of Wight Conservative group, has also raised concerns.
He has said:
“The Isle of Wight Council elections MUST go ahead.
“The Leader of the Council [Cllr Phil Jordan] needs to demand that they do.
“We cannot have another delay to our democracy!”
Joe Robertson, Isle of Wight East MP, has said:
“Isle of Wight Council elections must go ahead next May and I have written to the Government to say as much.
“There is no excuse for cancelling them a second time. Our councillor mandate was for 4 years not 6. It shouldn’t be so easy to cancel elections in a democracy”.
Nationally, the debate is becoming increasingly politicised. Reform UK’s Nigel Farage has accused both main parties of attempting to suppress the democratic process, saying:
“Last year the Tories and Labour colluded to rob millions of English people of their vote. Now they’re at it again.
“Tory Council leaders have told The Times this is because they know Reform will win. It means Tory councillors get 7 year terms.
“Only dictators cancel elections. Wherever you are in the UK, sign our petition to Let The People Vote.”
The postponement of this year’s local elections was made through secondary legislation. However, any further delay would require a full Act of Parliament, meaning a Bill would need to be passed through both Houses.
The Government has not yet commented on whether further legislation is being considered.
Martin Tod, Liberal Democrat candidate for Mayor of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and Leader of Winchester City Council commented:
“No councillor in Hampshire or on the Isle of Wight has a mandate for a six year term. That isn’t the basis that local people voted for them. Even Parliament and MPs can’t run longer than 5 years.
“It’s simply not right that decisions about Hampshire’s future on the new Mayoral Combined Authority could be made by councils who haven’t faced the voters for so long. Labour would be wrong to cancel the elections and the Conservatives that have asked for a delay are wrong to ask for it. The elections must go ahead.”
Cost of running an election cannot be the reason, the didn’t spend anything last year, so where did that money go?
Elections are fractured in every 4 years into the budget. So, what is the real reason?
They don’t want change!
Oops, perhaps that should have been “factored” not fractured, but then . . . . . . . .
Not to say I told you so, but I saw this coming. It was obvious yet so many lefties on here assured me I was wrong. I guess there is still time for things to change, but it is now looking highly likely we will be denied a vote yet again!
Its democracy stolen so a group who have no mandate to be there can drag us on a course most of us oppose with no chance to replace them with people who could do a better job for the Island!
Life under Labour eh, not good!
Too be honest it doesn’t matter who is in power
they work for the globalists
Could this be Labour not wanting an embarassing huge swing
to the Reform Party at the ballot box !!
Spot on, what happened to democracy
No vote,no council tax!
If only that was true, there have been cases in the past where
persons not paying their Council tax were imprisoned.
Strikes me you have the answer sir. If only 10% of us threaten to withhold the tax they will have to take notice.
They wouldn’t care less.
All part of starmers new world order..control.
110% correct.
It was obvious this was going to happen, democracy is a
thing of the past.
Get ready for your digital ID’s that no one voted for!
They had a referendum on Brexit, but not digital ID’s
The Reform Brigade will be throwing their toys out the
pram.
Grow up F.F.S you don’t honestly believe
Reform can win an election!
4 of their councillors in Kent have been suspended
today due to bickering!
At least the Conservatives have brains, better than brawn!
Who would have thought this country could slip into a police state so quickly? I honestly think over the next few years, British nationals will be seeking asylum in others countries to escape a totalitarianism state.
Maybe we could arrive by Dinghy on foreign shores
and get put up in 5 star hotels and given new smart phones.
“Me thinks not”
Its unconscionable that a UK government would seek to halt democratic elections, for a second time. A tactic used by rogue dictatorships.
It surely isn’t money. as shown by Starmers profligate spending overseas.
It makes one wonder who actually runs the Government
That bastard labour government and starmer the wanker.
Running scared at losing a place at the trough of plenty.