Labour and Conservative Peers Vote to Delay May Elections

EMBARGO: IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tonight [24 March 2025], The House of Lords voted on Baroness Kath Pinnock's fatal motion to annul the Local Authorities (Changes to Years of Ordinary Elections) (England) Order with the aim of restoring the local elections which were cancelled this May.

The vote was defeated by 163 votes to 63, meaning the elections will remain cancelled. Just one Conservative peer voted for the motion, and no Labour peers did. 

Commenting after the motion vote, Liberal Democrat Local Government spokesperson in the Lords, Baroness Kath Pinnock said: 

“This just confirms what we already knew- that Conservative councils are running scared, as they know their time is up. Up and down the country, voters are calling for change, and the Conservatives know this. 

“Democracy delayed is democracy denied.  For every community who are being denied the chance to vote this May, the Liberal Democrats will continue to stand up for them as their local champions."

ENDS

Notes to Editor:

A full breakdown of the vote can be found here https://votes.parliament.uk/votes/lords/division/3261