Lib Dems force vote on reversing local election delays: Conservatives must “do the right thing for democracy”

EMBARGO: 22.30 Sunday 23 March

The Liberal Democrats have challenged the Conservatives to “do the right thing for democracy” and back their ‘fatal motion’ in the House of Lords today that would reinstate the delayed local elections. 

The Liberal Democrat motion opposing the Government’s legislation, if passed, would immediately halt Labour’s plans and give millions of people their votes back in May.

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said that the Conservatives were “running scared” and slammed the Labour government for colluding in a “disgraceful stitch up.” He challenged Kemi Badenoch to do the right thing and make sure the Conservatives in the Lords back the motion to “restore votes to millions of people.”

Baroness Pinnock, who has tabled the motion, told the Conservatives it was “now or never” and that it was down to them to do the right thing and back it. The motion would have enough votes to pass if the Conservatives chose to back it. The Conservatives in the Lords voted for fatal motions when they were last in opposition before 2010, research from the House of Lords Library shows.

The Conservatives have merely tabled a weaker ‘regret motion’, which would have no force if passed, which Pinnock described as “cynical and toothless”, adding “they will clearly not really want the elections to go ahead unless they back our motion to actually make that happen.”

The vast majority of local authorities who asked the Government for permission to delay their elections are run by Conservative administrations, including in places such as Surrey and Hampshire where the Liberal Democrats made strong gains in the General Election.

The Government’s rushed plans were thrown into more confusion when it transpired that MHCLG still plan to hold elections to many authorities in 2026, despite comments by Angela Rayner to MPs to the contrary.

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said:

“This is a disgraceful stitch up between Labour and the Conservatives. The Liberal Democrats made sweeping gains at the General Election, and failing Conservative councils are now running scared of the voters.

“It's now down to Kemi Badenoch to make sure the Conservatives in the Lords to do the right thing and back our motion so we can restore votes to millions of people.”

Baroness Kath Pinnock said:

“It’s down to the Conservatives to do the right thing, it’s as simple as that. If they vote for our motion today, then the local elections that should never have been delayed will go ahead. Their own cynical and toothless motion would not change a thing. They will clearly not really want the elections to go ahead unless they back our motion to actually make that happen.

“It’s clear that Conservative councils are running scared of the Liberal Democrats, asking for election delays so they can cling onto power. The Labour government is just leaving them in power well beyond their sell-by date.

“These election delays are wasteful, confused and pointless. The Liberal Democrats will always stand up for communities to have their voice, and the chance to elect a true community champion. Today, we’ll find out if the Conservatives will do the right thing for democracy.”

ENDS

Notes to Editor:

Lords Library research shows that the Conservatives in the Lords voted multiple times in favour of fatal motions last time they were in opposition, on gambling regulations in 2007 and on rules for Greater London elections in 2000. See paragraph 2.2 from p7 here: https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/LLN-2016-0001/LLN-2016-0001.pdf