Sussex local elections to go ahead in May after legal challenge
The Government's postponement plan has been overturned following Reform UK's court success.
Local elections in councils across Sussex are set to take place as scheduled this May after Reform UK successfully challenged government plans to postpone them.
The councils affected by this decision include East Sussex, West Sussex, Crawley, Hastings, and Worthing.
Local Government Secretary Steve Reed had earlier announced the postponement, citing concerns over capacity, reorganisation, and democracy amid ongoing efforts to reorganise English local authorities.
However, on Monday, a Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson announced that after seeking legal advice, the government decided to hold the elections as planned in May 2026.
The spokesperson stressed the importance of ensuring certainty for councils regarding their election timelines.
Nigel Farage celebrated the decision as a win for Reform UK, which had initiated legal proceedings against the proposed delays.
Farage proclaimed on social media platform X: "We took this Labour government to court and won."
In a court order from January, Mr Justice Chamberlain acknowledged Reform UK's initiative to prevent the postponement pending a full legal hearing.
Reform UK aimed to have the full claim resolved before the end of March, which would coincide with the publication of election notices.