Plans for mayoral elections in Greater Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk have been postponed until 2028, prompting criticism from political candidates and parties. The elections, originally scheduled for May, will now be delayed as the government seeks to complete local government reorganisation before the new mayors take office.
Louise McKinlay, Conservative candidate for Greater Essex, said the delay “strips our country” of leadership and investment, claiming that Labour is “putting party before country.” She added: “This is the biggest change to local government since the 1970s and Labour’s approach has been chaotic from day one: Rushed deadlines, last-minute decisions, and now this.” McKinlay called on Labour to reverse the decision, saying “our residents deserve better.”
The postponement has also drawn criticism from the Green Party. Caroline Topping, Green candidate for Suffolk and Norfolk, expressed frustration that candidates learned of the delay through the media. She said: “Why hasn’t someone from government contacted the candidates and told us? It’s a joke. It’s very disheartening for all the people being employed and the hours of work that’s gone in.” Topping emphasised the importance of devolving powers from Westminster to local populations.
Liberal Democrat spokesperson Zoe Franklin said her party will push for the elections to go ahead in 2026, adding: “Democracy delayed is democracy denied.”
Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice described the decision as a “deliberate, dictatorial cancelling of democracy.” The postponement also affects mayoral elections for Hampshire and the Solent, and Sussex and Brighton.
Southend-on-Sea City Council’s Labour leader Daniel Cowan acknowledged the delay, stating the local authority had been prepared to deliver the election. He said: “We accept the government’s desire to slow that part of the programme down to make sure devolution is delivered in the right way.” Cowan added that funding and powers for the combined authority would be made available “relatively shortly,” allowing local leaders to work on “strategic growth priorities of Greater Essex” and lay the groundwork for the 2028 election.
Political analysts note that the legislation to create directly-elected mayors has yet to pass through the House of Commons. Andrew Sinclair, BBC East political editor, highlighted that local government reorganisation, which would see county and district councils replaced by unitary authorities, is also underway. He said synchronising these changes with the elections makes administrative sense, but added: “That won’t stop a lot of people crying foul.”
The decision has generated frustration among candidates and local officials, many of whom had already invested time and resources in campaigning and staffing for the planned elections. The postponement raises questions about the future of devolved powers and the timing of democratic processes in these regions.
