The UK government has postponed May’s English local and mayoral elections for a year over fears that polling day would clash with the peak of the coronavirus outbreak.
Downing Street announced on Friday that holding the elections on May 7 would be impractical given that it expected the spread of the virus to reach its peak in the middle of the month. Instead, polling day will be held in 2021.
As well as 118 local councils, the mayor of London, London Assembly, four regional mayoralties and police and crime commissioners were all up for re-election.
Robert Buckland, justice secretary, said the government chose to delay polling day for a year so “everyone feels confident they are able to take part”. He added: “Respecting the annual cycle of local government, postponing them seems to me in the circumstance to be the right thing to do.”
The Electoral Commission, the independent body that oversees UK elections, wrote to prime minister Boris Johnson this week to recommend a delay until the autumn. Bob Posner, chief executive, said the risks were “so significant” they should not take place.
“The risks to delivery that have been identified are such that we cannot be confident that voters will be able to participate in the polls safely and confidently, nor that campaigners and parties will be able to put their case to the electorate.”
Ed Davey, acting leader of the Liberal Democrats, criticised the longer delay. “It is the right decision to delay local elections but it is not clear why the government has decided to delay for a year rather than until autumn as the Electoral Commission advised.”
But incumbent local leaders mostly welcomed the decision. Sadiq Khan, mayor of London who is running for re-election, said he would continue to “work with the government and experts to help London manage coronavirus”. He added: “I will always do everything in my power to stand up for London.”
Ben Houchen, the Conservative mayor for Tees Valley, who is also running for re-election, said delaying the elections was “the right thing to do at this time”. “It is essential that decisions are based on the best available evidence from medical experts so that we do all we can to keep everyone safe.”
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The last time local elections were delayed due to a health crisis was in 2001, when then prime minister Tony Blair delayed the local elections because of the foot-and-mouth crisis.
The Labour party, which supported the decision to delay the elections, has also halted campaigning. Jennie Formby, general secretary, wrote to all local constituency parties on Friday to suspend meetings.
“We also have serious concerns about the health and wellbeing of our staff and members who would be campaigning in the run-up to 7 May. As such, we have today advised our constituency Labour parties to cancel all campaigning and meetings.”
The party has also ended all hustings for its leadership elections and said the April 4 conference to announce the winner will be scaled back significantly.
