Reform’s mayoral candidate for Greater Essex has told GB News Labour has delayed elections because Sir Keir Starmer “fears” losing to Nigel Farage.
Joining GB News star Nana Akua, Peter Harris, who currently serves on Tendring District Council, hit out at the postponement, adding it was a “complete disgrace”.
Last week, the Government confirmed 29 councils will delay elections this year, depriving 4.5 million Britons the chance to have their say on how their community is run.
Local Government Secretary Steve Reed confirmed the decision despite Reform UK’s legal challenge being given the green light in the High Court.
The two-day trial will take place before the end of February.
Nevertheless, critics have suggested the move originates from Labour’s attempt to hold onto local seats, with the majority of councils opting into the postponement being run by Labour.
Speaking on GB News, Mr Harris blasted: “At the end of the day, turkeys don’t vote for Christmas. They’re coming up with reasons that it’s the cost of reorganisation and they just don’t have the capacity.
“This, of course, is complete bunkum, complete nonsense.
Polling indicates Labour would have lost its majority on more than 10 councils, as well as half its seats
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GB NEWS
“I know we know the reason why they’re cancelling these elections. They know the reasons why they are cancelling elections.
“And the residents and the voters know why they are cancelling elections, and it’s because they’re in fear of losing to Reform and Reform councillors.
“It’s absolute nonsense. It’s a complete disgrace that this is being allowed to happen. At Reform UK, we are challenging Labour all the way.
“We will fight this Government all the way to get this decision or these decisions overturned,” he vowed.
Peter Harris accused Sir Keir of being scared of losing to Reform
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PA
Last week, Mr Reed said: “This is a once-in-a-generation reform that will transform local government for the better.
“Cutting through two-tier bureaucracy means faster decisions on housing, simpler access to services, and more money going to potholes, tackling crime and caring for older people instead of being lost to duplication.
“That’s what residents want and that’s what reorganisation will achieve.”
Among the councils which have postponed their elections, a megapoll from JLPartners has indicated Labour would lose its majority on more than 10 councils, as well as half its seats.
In response to the revealing research, Mr Farage fumed: “This polling proves what we have been saying for a long time – the establishment have cancelled these elections because they know Reform would win them.”
In response to the High Court approving Reform’s legal challenge, Zia Yusuf added: “Reform will defend democracy against this authoritarian government and its Tory enablers. Let the people vote.”
The Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle has also piled pressure on Sir Keir to backtrack on the controversial decision.
In a leaked email to a Reform councillor, the senior parliamentarian declared he “does not believe in cancelling elections”.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Communities Department said: “This is an ongoing process and no decisions have been made yet over any delays.
“There is a clear precedent for postponing local elections where local government reorganisation is in progress, as happened between 2019 and 2021.
“These are exceptional circumstances where councils have told us they’re struggling to prepare for resource-intensive elections to councils that will shortly be abolished, while also reorganising into more efficient authorities that can better serve local residents.”
