Surrey MP calls for guarantee that local elections will not be postponed
Woking MP Will Forster has urged the Prime Minister to guarantee that elections will not be pushed back from 2026 to 2027
A Surrey MP is urging the prime minister to guarantee that local elections will not be postponed.
Recent reports state that some councillors were looking to push local elections back to 2027.
This would be the second time that elections have been pushed back in 2 years, after elections were already postponed from this year.
Woking MP Will Forster says that this would be an unacceptable scenario.
"I don't think that's acceptable for my constituency in Woking where this year we should have had Surrey County Council elections.
But it's across a lot of the South of England that voters risk losing their democratic right, and I don't think that's acceptable."
The Liberal Democrat MP pointed out that if the elections were to be postponed until 2027, it could mean that some councillors would be able to have a 6 year stretch without facing an election.
"I think the only reason why I have conservative councillors in my area because they weren't up, they've not been up for re-election since 2021.
That is such a long term and it's just not reasonable."
Forster says that there could be consequences long term for the electoral system if the elections were delayed again
"I assume after two years in a row of elections being postponed, some may embark on judicial reviews and legal challenges.
But it fundamentally undermines the democratic right of councillors and those that should be serving the public. They just won't have any legitimacy. I think that will really damage the democratic process.
Not just for now, but for years going forward."
During Prime Minister's Questions, Keir Starmer told Forster thr following:
"We expect the elections in Surrey to be in the new unitary councils and we'll be setting out the planned timetable very shortly."
Forster says that looking forward, he isn't wanting any spooky surprises this Halloween regarding announcements.
"I really hope we don't have a a Halloween horror show where voters lose their right to vote. I hope that in Surrey that will have elections, but I'm hopeful rather than reassured."