Local Elections 2025

[Tom8]

Next electoral test which could be interesting.

Kemi Badenoch has already set out her stall that the conservatives will get beaten. Rather than opt for a positive push she once again goes negative. I think the tories will do badly as people are still so let down by what they did and didn't do in office and they deserve it.

As an incumbent and already massively unpopular government, labour has a challenge although I think they will largely "break even"

So the question is what will the rest do in an area where the smaller guys usually do very well? Lib Dems have quite a strong base, can they build on it? Possibly but it seems they are just another part of the labour party, they offer nothing different and largely support labour.

Reform? Could be a chance for them to make some headlines although there have been a lot of conservative and labour defections already so may not be much in the way of headline grabbing stuff.

[swisstoni]

LibDems are the traditional home for voters fed up with the other two plus are seen as a safe bet in locals anyway.
But it will be interesting to see what kind of a dent Reform can make.

Edited by swisstoni on Friday 21st March 11:03

[Xenoous]

This might be the one time where I actually pay attention to local elections. Already started getting letter box junk from both Conservatives and Labour. I absolutely do not intend on voting for either at present, so I guess it's the Dems or Reform... Should be fun!

[Huzzah]

I feel letdown by the current guy, pretty invisible. I have already decided where my next vote will go..

More about the individual than the party.

[OutInTheShed]

I predict a low turnoit and a lot of bks in the media.

[RicksAlfas]

Bradford put in a special request to increase council tax by 15%. They were granted 9.99%.
Oh yes, and no local election this year as "they need a period of stability"...

[StevieBee]

The media has long liked to use local elections as some benchmark of national opinion as to what's happening at a national level which in turn influences how people vote.

The reality is that local elections, the councillors elected and the things they do once elected are of near to zero relevance as to what happens in Westminster. At the same time, they have far greater impact on our day to day lives yet attract the lowest voter turnout of any election. National government sets the parameters within which councils and councillors operate and that's really the limit of political influence that prevails.

You could be a red-flag-waving, fully paid up member of the Labour Party but your local Conservative Councillor may be the best person for your local area - or vice-versa. But your political leaning will influence your vote, even to the detriment of your neighbourhood.

[Chrisgr31]

The local elections for East Sussex and West Sussex County Councils have been cancelled.

This is in preparation for a unitary authority at some unknown point in the future.

[Carl_VivaEspana]

OutInTheShed said:

I predict a low turnoit and a lot of bks in the media.

Agreed. Unless the Greens, SNP or Plaid Cymru have any chance of winning in your neck of the woods.

[surveyor]

Live in Doncaster, a Labour stronghold for may years, and Reform are doing very well.

Labour seem to be bricking it.. Suddenly have a lot of high profile visitors to the town, and the mayor (think Super granny, but Northern) is actually announcing Polices..

[rscott]

RicksAlfas said:

Bradford put in a special request to increase council tax by 15%. They were granted 9.99%.
Oh yes, and no local election this year as "they need a period of stability"...

They can't defer local elections because "they need a period of stability". There aren't elections this year because it's only a year since the last ones https://bradford.moderngov.co.uk/mgElectionResults... .

Elections are always on a fixed cycle which can only be varied by central government (eg the delays here in Essex due to the proposed mergers)

[Biker 1]

Chrisgr31 said:

The local elections for East Sussex and West Sussex County Councils have been cancelled.

This is in preparation for a unitary authority at some unknown point in the future.

Yep - my neck of the woods.
I suppose they'll keep all the same people but rebrand, including swanky new offices, IT systems & so on. Will this be value for money?? I guess we'll have to wait & see....

[RicksAlfas]

rscott said:

RicksAlfas said:

Bradford put in a special request to increase council tax by 15%. They were granted 9.99%.
Oh yes, and no local election this year as "they need a period of stability"...

They can't defer local elections because "they need a period of stability". There aren't elections this year because it's only a year since the last ones https://bradford.moderngov.co.uk/mgElectionResults... .

Elections are always on a fixed cycle which can only be varied by central government (eg the delays here in Essex due to the proposed mergers)

Maybe period of stability was the wrong phrase. This is what the local paper says: "the Government said postponements would only be considered to help an area to deliver reorganisation and devolution to the most ambitious timeline”.

Whatever the phrasing, no election, a 10% council tax rise, many local facilities being closed, and a seemingly never ending money tree for City of Culture and other vanity projects has not gone down well locally.

Don't we have local elections every year? (Apart from Covid).
https://bradford.moderngov.co.uk/mgManageElectionR...

[rscott]

RicksAlfas said:

rscott said:

RicksAlfas said:

Bradford put in a special request to increase council tax by 15%. They were granted 9.99%.
Oh yes, and no local election this year as "they need a period of stability"...

They can't defer local elections because "they need a period of stability". There aren't elections this year because it's only a year since the last ones https://bradford.moderngov.co.uk/mgElectionResults... .

Elections are always on a fixed cycle which can only be varied by central government (eg the delays here in Essex due to the proposed mergers)

Maybe period of stability was the wrong phrase. This is what the local paper says: "the Government said postponements would only be considered to help an area to deliver reorganisation and devolution to the most ambitious timeline”.

Whatever the phrasing, no election, a 10% council tax rise, many local facilities being closed, and a seemingly never ending money tree for City of Culture and other vanity projects has not gone down well locally.

Don't we have local elections every year? (Apart from Covid).
https://bradford.moderngov.co.uk/mgManageElectionR...

Local councillors are elected for 4 years. Some councils hold all elections in 1 year, others split the seats, so there are some elections either every year or other year.