Keir Starmer faced criticism tonight, accused of ‘avoiding the voters’ by setting the stage to cancel elections nationwide.

In a surprising development, Labour has asked 63 councils to consider postponing the local elections scheduled for next year. These elections are viewed as a crucial test of Sir Keir’s struggling leadership.

This decision could potentially prevent over 10 million people from voting in May. With Labour controlling half of the councils involved, the move might reduce the party’s losses and improve Sir Keir’s leadership prospects.

Some regions could see elections delayed for a second year in a row, potentially allowing councillors to avoid voter scrutiny for up to seven years. Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, compared the decision to actions typical of a ‘dictator,’ stating, ‘Only a banana republic cancels elections; that’s what we have under Starmer.’ Reform MP Lee Anderson described the Prime Minister as being ‘frightened.’

The Conservative elections spokesperson, Sir James Cleverly, accused Labour of ‘dodging the voters,’ asserting, ‘They thought they could completely revamp local government to their advantage, but they were mistaken.’

‘Earlier this month, Labour canceled mayoral elections, and now they’re interfering with council elections, manipulating the democratic process for self-serving political gain,’ he added.

Conservative justice spokesman Robert Jenrick said: ‘Even during the pandemic elections were not cancelled for a second year running. Slashing jury trials. Cancelling elections. These are the hallmarks of a Government that doesn’t trust the people.’

Richard Wright, chairman of the District Councils Network, said the normal four-year election cycle ‘should be broken only in the most exceptional circumstances’. He added: ‘This has the potential to undermine faith in our cherished local democracy.’ 

Keir Starmer was tonight accused of ‘running scared of the voters’ as he paved the way to cancel elections across the country

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage likened the move to the actions of a ‘dictator’, adding: ‘Only a banana republic bans elections

Analysis of the 63 councils involved reveals that half are run by Labour, either directly or in coalition. Eleven of the councils are run by the Conservatives, and 13 by the Lib Dems.

Reform does not hold any of the affected councils but was looking to make deep inroads against Labour and the Tories in May.

Allies of Sir Keir fear he could face a leadership coup within days of the elections if the results are as bad as polls suggest. It also emerged he was planning to schedule the King’s Speech for the week after the poll in the hope that potential rivals will not risk embarrassing the monarch by moving against him.

It follows a series of other proposals branded authoritarian by critics, such as scrapping jury trials for many offences and introducing digital ID cards.

The PM’s spokesman defended the move, saying councils were struggling to cope with elections at the same time as a massive reorganisation of local government started by Labour last year.

Dozens of councils are set to be abolished or merged as part of a push towards more unitary authorities. Local government minister Alison McGovern told MPs: ‘Many councils across the country, and of all stripes, have expressed… concerns about the time and energy spent managing elections to bodies that won’t shortly exist, only to run an election a year later.’

Ms McGovern said ministers were ‘minded’ to cancel elections wherever local authorities said they might put pressure on time and resources. She added: ‘To be clear, should a council say that they have no reason to delay their elections, there will be no delay.’

The decision to cancel elections for a second year in places such as Essex comes despite a warning from the Electoral Commission that they should not be postponed for more than 12 months. 

Conservative justice spokesman Robert Jenrick said: ‘Even during the pandemic elections were not cancelled for a second year running. Slashing jury trials. Cancelling elections. These are the hallmarks of a Government that doesn’t trust the people’

Local government minister Alison McGovern defended the delay she told MPs: ‘Many councils across the country, and of all stripes, have expressed… concerns about the time and energy spent managing elections to bodies that won’t shortly exist, only to run an election a year later.’

In the Commons, Tory local government spokesman Paul Holmes said the Government had taken the decision because it was afraid of fighting elections.

He asked what the Government ‘has against democracy’, adding: ‘While many people gather around their screens to watch movies like How The Grinch Stole Christmas, we’re sitting here discussing how Labour is trying to steal the elections.

‘Earlier this month Labour cancelled mayoral elections because they were worried they wouldn’t win them. Now they are doing the same with local elections, pausing the democratic process to serve their own political interests, creating for themselves a true nightmare before Christmas.

‘This process has been a mess from start to finish. It’s time it was scrapped today.’

Sir Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat leader, said: ‘This is looking like yet another Labour and Conservative stitch-up to deny people their votes in May.’