Crucial mayoral and local elections in May are set to be delayed, Boris Johnson has hinted – meaning voters will not have gone to the polls for more than two years.
“Obviously, we will have to keep it under review,” the prime minister told MPs, ahead of a vote to confirm the fresh lockdown until the end of March.
It is believed that ministers are pushing for the polls to be delayed until the spring or early summer – when Covid-19 infections will be lower – but some local leaders fear they will have to be even later.
The option of holding the elections with postal votes only has already been ruled out, it is thought.
As well as local and mayoral elections in England – axed 12 months ago, when the pandemic broke out – the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly are meant to go to the polls.
In the Commons, the prime minister was asked only about the likelihood of elections in England going ahead in four months’ time.
“That’s what the law provides for,” he replied, before adding “though, obviously, we will have to keep it under review.”
Sadiq Khan is expected to triumph for Labour in London, if the City Hall election goes ahead, but some of the eight other metro-mayor posts around England are held by Conservatives.
Keir Starmer – having pushed Labour back to level-pegging in the polls, a year after the party’s general election drubbing – would hope to win several hundred local council seats.
The UK did go to the polls in December 2019, when Mr Johnson won a big Commons majority, but no local elections have taken place since May 2019.
