Reform UK is poised to go to court to try to force the Government to stop dozens of councils postponing elections this May, GB News can disclose.
Reports say that more than 20 Labour councils covering four million people are expected to have elections cancelled this year after telling ministers that they do not have the “capacity” to hold a vote.
Reform UK’s Zia Yusuf told GB News on Wednesday that the party was ready to mount a judicial review in the High Court to try to force the Government to over-rule the councils’ requests.
Yusuf said: “Reform’s lawyers are coming at them with everything we’ve got.”
Zia Yusuf told GB News: ‘Reform’s lawyers are coming at them with everything we’ve got’
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Last month ministers asked 63 councils in England if they wanted to delay their elections until 2027 so they could bed in a local government shake up, prompting howls of protest from Reform.
They were given until midnight on Thursday this week to say if they wanted a delay. Ministers said they would be “minded” to agree to any postponement.
Sources have tonight told The Times newspaper that 27 local authorities covering more than 5.2million people and 3.7million registered voters will ask the minister for a delay.
Last month Local Government minister Alison McGovern said: “We have listened to councils who’ve told us of the challenges they face reorganising while preparing for resource-intensive elections for areas which may shortly be abolished.
Last month ministers asked 63 councils in England if they wanted to delay their elections until 2027
“Several have submitted requests to postpone elections so it is therefore right we let them have their say so they can focus their time and energy on providing vital services while planning for re-organisation.”
Sir Keir Starmer has been handed a “50-50 chance” of keeping his job by the end of the year by one of his own ministers.
On Tuesday – ahead of Labour’s 13th U-turn in scrapping mandatory Digital IDs – ministers were said to be frequently discussing how long Sir Keir had left.
“What’s happening at the moment is extraordinarily bad,” one admitted. “We can’t just pretend otherwise.”
Another Cabinet colleague was asked whether he would still be in No10 by December – and replied: “50-50.”
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Labour’s big hitters were also said to be furious at Sir Keir’s reshuffle after Angela Rayner resigned in disgrace in November.
“We’ve gone through a catastrophic series of missteps,” yet another minister told the Financial Times.
And another still added: “I’m not convinced any of the options are better than Keir, but we are so unpopular at the moment I’ve come to the conclusion it’s worth rolling the dice.”
The harsh words came just as it emerged Labour was considering making the planned digital ID Right to Work checks voluntary rather than compulsory in 2029 – its 13th U-turn.
Sir Keir Starmer has been handed a ’50-50 chance’ of keeping his job by the end of the year by one of his own ministers
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In fewer than two years in charge, the party has changed tack on tax rises, slashing winter fuel payments, welfare reforms, holding a grooming gangs inquiry and many more.
One minister who has publicly criticised the party is Health Secretary Wes Streeting.
Mr Streeting, who has been touted for a potential leadership challenge, said: “This excuses culture does the centre-left no favours.
“If we tell the public that we can’t make anything work, then why on Earth would they vote to keep us in charge?”
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Health Secretary Wes Streeting said tat an excuses culture ‘does the centre-left no favours’
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But, speaking to GB News on Wednesday morning, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander denied that the Government had made any such U-turns.
“I just don’t accept that all of the things that you read out have been U-turns,” she told the People’s Channel.
“I think it’s right that a government course corrects if new information becomes available; it’s right that if we can make a policy better, we will.”
She added: “I don’t know exactly what Wes has said in the last couple of days. You’re quoting something to me that I haven’t actually heard. I know that this government is totally united on delivering against the priorities that we set out in our manifesto, which was to bring stability back to the economy.”
The Prime Minister also appeared to have maintained some support around the Cabinet table.
“There’s no way he’s going to go of his own accord,” one minister added – and argued that Sir Keir sees May’s crunch local elections as unrepresentative of how Britain may vote in a General Election.
Time to go Qw -eer