Democracy delayed is democracy denied.
Elections should only be delayed in exceptional circumstances – like a war or pandemic.
Yet, this Labour government – in a stitch-up with the Conservatives – keep denying the people of Hampshire their right to choose who governs them.
First, they delayed the County Council elections in May 2025.
Then, they cancelled the Mayoral election scheduled for May 2026.
And now, sensationally, the government has said it will consider delaying the County Council and City Council elections by another year.
To delay elections again would be an insult to the electors of Hampshire.
The Liberal Democrats opposed all the previous elections being cancelled. They will not be requesting a delay to Winchester City Council's elections. And they will fight for the people of Hampshire to have their say.
We, the undersigned, demand that Hampshire Conservatives and the Labour government allow the people of Hampshire to have their vote
Martin Tod: "Regular elections are one of the most important ways that the public can hold councils and councillors to account. If people don’t like what we’re doing, they can vote us out – and quite right too: that’s democracy."
Two weeks after the Mayoral elections were put back by two years, the Labour government is now asking councils if we want to delay county, district and unitary elections as well.
Read Danny's letter to Nick Adams-King