Local Government Secretary Steve Reed has come under intense criticism following the government’s decision to abandon plans to postpone elections in 30 councils this May.
The original plan to delay the elections was linked to proposals for wide-scale reorganisation of local government, but the move drew sharp criticism from opposition parties and local politicians, who argued it would deny millions of voters their democratic rights.
The U-turn came after legal advice and a challenge from Reform UK, leaving council reorganisation plans in uncertainty.
Critics have described the decision as chaotic, with some branding Reed a “two-faced bully” for his handling of the situation.
A council source said, “This isn’t just incompetence — it’s a betrayal of the public. The decision undermines trust in government and leaves local authorities in limbo.”
The government’s reversal highlights growing tensions over local democracy and the management of council reforms, as local politicians grapple with the implications ahead of May’s elections.
Kay Mason Billig, the Tory leader of Norfolk county council said, “I can now say what I like about the Secretary of State, I’ve never met him or spoken to him but I know him to be a two-faced bully who doesn’t care about Norfolk, who doesn’t care about local government, who doesn’t even care about his own Labour councillors.”
She added, “I’d really like to quote Rik Mayall at this point, what an utter, utter b***ard.”
Matthew Hicks, leader of Tory-run Suffolk County Council said, “This uncertainty makes it almost impossible to plan effectively, deliver stability for residents, or provide clarity for our staff and partners.
“Certainly, as we previously set out in our letter to ministers, this makes delivering one new unitary council for Suffolk more difficult, and three nigh-on impossible.”
Laura Lock, deputy chief executive of the Association of Electoral Administrators, said, “These teams now face an uphill struggle to catch up to where they should be. They have paused planning to avoid unnecessary cost, but this means they are now playing catch-up.”
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