Angela Rayner drops a big clue that the Labor Party is scared | Politics | News

Is it any wonder that both the Conservative and Labor parties are conspiring to delay the upcoming local elections in May?

With Reform UK topping several opinion polls and gaining momentum, none of these so-called “mainstream” parties dare face the public at the polls at the moment.

Instead of embracing the democratic process, they desperately cling to whatever local control they have, terrified of being swept away by a wave of public discontent.

Nigel Farageleader of Reform UK, has rightly condemned this blatant attempt to deny voters their voice.

He has accused conservatives of “political cowardice” for attempting to postpone local elections, particularly at Essex County Council, where Reform UK has increased its support.

Let’s be clear about what’s going on here. The Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Raynerhas begun a reorganization plan that involves merging dozens of district councils into larger unitary authorities.

In a highly suspicious move, the government is now allowing counties to request delays in their elections under the pretext of “waiting for the reorganization to be completed.”

This could result in councilors remaining in power for up to three more years, without casting a single vote.

Fifteen counties, along with two unitary authorities (most of them Conservative-led) have already applied for permission to postpone their elections.

This smacks of desperation. He conservativesunder the leadership of Kemi Badenoch, they are clearly afraid to face the electorate in May; They prefer to cling to power through procedural trickery.

Nigel Farage He hit the nail on the head when he called this measure a “denial of democracy and a disgrace.”

And he added: “This is political cowardice. If the reorganization takes three years, the elections should go ahead. Who even wants this supposed reorganization? Certainly not the British public.”

The Labor Party is equally complicit in this democratic subversion. while it is Angela Rayner In leading the reorganization efforts, the entire Labor caucus is on pace with the plan.

After all, the Labor Party knows it is also vulnerable to the rising tide of reformist Britain. His policies, rife with hypocrisy and inconsistency, have alienated large portions of the electorate.

Rather than confront this reality and face a humiliating defeat, they are choosing to delay democracy itself.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government offered a hollow justification for these delays, stating that they are necessary to ensure “reorganization and devolution on the most ambitious schedule”.

But the truth is obvious to anyone paying attention: this is not efficient governance.

This is about avoiding a political reckoning.

Kevin Hollinrake, the conservatives‘, shadow communities secretary, weakly attempted to frame the delays as a way of protecting local identities.

He said: “No council should be intimidated or blackmailed into restructuring local government. “It should not be imposed by Whitehall decree from above.”

Yet that is exactly what his party is doing: imposing its will from above, trampling local democracy, and disrespecting voters.

Both the Labor Party and the conservatives They are running scared. They know that once the British people finally have their say, there will be a political earthquake. Reform UK represents a growing movement of disillusioned voters who are tired of the same tired policies of two parties that are indistinguishable in their arrogance and contempt for democracy.

Make no mistake: this is an abuse of power, a betrayal of trust and an insult to the electorate. He conservatives and Labor are looking down on the British people, thinking they can suppress democracy and avoid accountability.

But they do so at their own risk. When voters are finally given the chance to express their frustration, the reckoning will be quick, decisive and long overdue.

Both parties should remember: democracy can only be denied for so long. Reformist Britain is rising and no amount of political cowardice can stem the coming tide of change.

Richard Thomson was the UK Reform candidate for Braintree in the 2024 election and served as a Royal Marine for eight years.