Elections focus: Southern and South West England – democratic dither and delay.

What’s happening? 

Labour has abandoned plans to delay 30 local council elections, including at least 16 authorities across southern and South West England, which will now go to the polls in May. 

This about-face might bode well for Reform UK and Nigel Farage who are targeting a number of battlegrounds in the area – notably in Essex and Kent. 

Likewise, the Greens will be looking to take advantage of voters’ resentment towards Labour and the Conservatives in Sussex and the South West - areas that both parties have historically performed well in. 

But the power of the pothole remains pivotal in these local polls. Beyond the headlines, voters will still be weighing up local issues and looking for candidates who best represent the priorities of their communities. 

The key issues 

• Green Belt development as commuter towns in the home counties and satellite cities around London see ‘grey belt’ expansion arrive on their doorstep.
• Budgets squeezed on all sides as finances struggle to keep up with service demand and council tax thresholds are forced upwards.
• Anger and apathy as voters shun the traditional parties in search of answers – or simply choose to stay at home. 

Races to watch 

Thurrock Council will be a target for Reform UK, where successive Conservative and Labour administrations have struggled to address the council’s deep-rooted financial problems. Sussex had the highest number of elections affected by delays, but both county council elections and some borough and district elections will now be reinstated. Further west, Swindon is another battleground which often reflects the national picture and has swung from the Conservatives to Labour in recent years. For the first time the town is electing every seat in the borough at once, making it a key battle in the South and a litmus test for the national picture. 

Zoom out 

Spare a thought, dear reader, for anybody writing a pithy trailer for an e-newsletter ahead of these local elections following the latest, unexpected, government U-turn. 

But it could be worse – we could be one of the election administrators now facing “an uphill struggle” to be ready in time for May. 

It’s difficult to see this as anything other than a costly climbdown for Labour, and one which some voters may hold in their minds as they approach the polling booth. 

Parties outside the traditional big two will see this as a huge opportunity to gain momentum – and voters are more inclined to register a protest vote in a mid-term visit to the ballot box. 

It will also be intriguing to see how changes to election plans are reflected in voter turnout, which has continued to decrease in recent years. Nigel Farage is already celebrating a victory for democracy – but will voters turn out in large numbers on polling day?