Labor figures in the county, with a record number of revival council elections after the government’s recent U-turn, say they fear the party will be “destroyed” when voters go to the polls in May.
The election was expected to be postponed pending local government reorganization and a move to consolidated authorities in the county, but earlier this week the local government secretary, Steve Reid, scrapped plans to delay the election after Reform UK threatened a legal challenge.
Two councils, Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool, are already unitary authorities, while the remaining 12 districts are two-tiered and are covered by Lancashire County Council.
With the government’s U-turn, seven councils will now go to polls in May; Burnley, Blackburn, Hyndburn, Pendle, Chorley, West Lancashire and Preston – an area of around 790,000 people – means the county has more snap elections than any other. A total of 30 local authorities, representing almost a quarter of Lancashire, will now hold elections in May.
In last year’s county council elections, it won 53 of the 84 seats and took control of the reform. Labor is left with just four councillors.
The government said before those elections that local elections could be postponed if the power to disappear under the reorganization was approached, but the county council did not put forward such a request.
“I was surprised by this announcement, a precedent was set before Lancashire County Council postponed their election, so it wouldn’t have been any different,” said one senior councillor. “It is now costing the taxpayer millions of pounds in elections which in many cases last a year.”
However, they said they understood the decision had been “reviewed in light of new information and legal advice” and said “we will be working throughout the year, not just during elections, so we are prepared”.
“It is important to adapt when circumstances change”, they added, “and there is no price for democracies”.
A senior Labor figure in Lancashire described the situation as a “right crap show” and said “we’re going to be devastated in East Lancs”.
It also internally predicted a clean sweep of “100% reform” when the new Lancashire unitary authorities were elected. “Unless Jesus H Christ becomes our new leader as Mary Mary’s deputy,” they said the party was looking at a “labour wipeout”.
However, some council leaders are giving more support to the government – but sticking to their original decisions to postpone the vote.
“We recognize the high bar for postponing local elections and share the concern with other authorities that holding local elections in May 2026 could affect the local government reorganization process as well as vital services for residents,” Chorley Council leader Alistair Bradley said.
“However, we recognize that this is the government’s decision and will proceed with preparations for the elections in May as directed.”
“On balance, we felt it was proportionate to suspend the election and prepare for next year because we have capacity issues,” Preston Council leader Matthew Brown said. “We thought we would struggle.”
The government’s U-turn, he said, was “unexpected, but we are enjoying the fight very much now”.
“In terms of taking the fight to Reform UK and others, we’re really looking forward to getting stuck in,” he added.
Another Labor source said they believed the party would lose control of West Lancashire Council, where it has a slim majority.
“Honestly, I think it’s all out of control, which doesn’t help anyone,” they said. “I hope there will be no backlash [as a result of the U-turn]but that’s another thing that’s completely delusional at the minute.
Councils expect to spend more than £100,000 running elections over an 11-week period; However, local councilors said the impact would be greater on the authorities’ resources.
Burnley council leader Afrasiab Anwar, who quit Labor in November 2023 over its stance on the war in Gaza, criticized the “total confusion” from the government and backed calls for ministers to publish the legal advice that led to the U-turn.
“I can discern no compelling justification for maintaining the legal authority in this case, especially as it relates to the fundamental right to vote.”
Anwar said he expected Reform UK and independent candidates to win Labor councilors in Burnley in May: “It’s not just a U-turn – when you see the election, you can’t imagine how bad this government is going to be. Every promise has been broken.”
In Pendle, several on its stance on Gaza Labor has no councilors after leaving the party. David Whipp, the council’s Lib Dem leader, said he feared the latest government move would exacerbate the “disenchantment and disenfranchisement” of voters.
All seven Lancashire councils due for election will be abolished in 2028. They will be replaced by larger authorities – combining the 14 councils between two and five institutions. Ministers are expected to announce the makeup of new senior officers in July.
