The government has abandoned plans to postpone 30 local elections in May following legal advice.
Labour announced last year it was planning to cancel elections in 30 areas – affecting more than 4.5 million people – to overhaul English council structures.
But on Monday, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said it was no longer going ahead with the plan due to “new legal advice”.
Reform UK had launched a legal challenge against the government, and the legal advice was in relation to that case.
A letter from the government’s legal department to MHCLG, seen by Sky News, said the government will pay Reform’s legal costs.
Sky News understands the legal costs are in six figures.
An MHCLG spokesman said: “Following legal advice, the government has withdrawn its original decision to postpone 30 local elections in May.
Politics latest: Starmer abandons plans to cancel 30 local council elections in May in another U-turn
Keir Starmer has steadied himself, but his authority is still being questioned
Investigation launched into claims Labour campaign group hired lobbyists to probe journalists
“Providing certainty to councils about their local elections is now the most crucial thing and all local elections will now go ahead in May 2026.”
The department has written to all 30 councils to confirm elections will go ahead in May.
There will also be a £63 million fund to help local councils across those areas reorganise their structures.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
You can receive Breaking News alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News App. You can also follow @SkyNews on X or subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.
