A candidate in the running to be Hampshire’s first mayor has launched a petition calling for the Labour Government to go back on its decision to delay polling day.
Donna Jones, who currently serves as the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, has said the postponement is ‘purely political’ and has accused Labour of once again putting party over people.
The Government announced a last-minute decision on 4th December to delay mayoral elections scheduled for May 2026, pushing them back to May 2028 in 4 areas of England, including Hampshire and the Solent.
The move has drawn strong criticism from leaders of upper-tier authorities in Hampshire, as well as from all 5 cross-party candidates running for the new mayoral role.
Donna Jones has launched a petition, at www.defenddemocracy.uk, calling on the Government to overturn the decision and hold the vote next year as planned.
In a statement, she has urged residents to ‘come together, make their voice heard, and demand Labour give back voters’ democratic right’.
She’s said:
“This petition gives a voice to those Labour is trying to silence.
Article continues below this advertisement “That is why I am calling on people across the country to sign this petition and personally hold Labour to account.
“They can’t silence the will of the people. They can’t kill democracy in England that easily. Join me in sending a message to the heart of government and sign this petition.”
Donna further claimed the delay was an attempt by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to ‘save his own skin’. She said:
“The decision to delay the election was a purely political one. It lays bare that Labour once again is putting party over people.
“In an attempt to save his own skin, Keir Starmer is creating chaos for councils and sacrificing billions of pounds of investment for Hampshire.”
So far, 8 MPs have signed the motion, including Nigel Farage.
Signed up this morning and stop calling the Isle of Wight by a different name.
Agreed. Starmer is trying to deny millions of voter’s the fundamental right to a democratic vote. As happens in Russia or North Korea.
More corruption to protect their own arses. The only reason they want to delay poling day is because they know they will get their arses kicked out
Fair comment, but for the fact that she’s more concerned about losing her next gravy train empire.
Shouldn’t Donna Jones be crime commissionering rather than working on elections ?
Cross because she really wants that job…
‘Eyes on the prize’ DonnaJones, accusing Keir Starmer of wanting to hang onto power. You couldn’t write it.