Nigel Farage has urged Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch to back an attempt in the Lords to reinstate postponed local elections or look “disingenuous”.
The Reform leader said that if the Tories “really care about democracy” they will vote on Monday to block Government attempts to postpone elections in nine areas beyond this May to allow major council reorganisations to take place.
Farage pointed out that Badenoch last month called for the elections to go ahead in a Commons motion, while a Reform source suggested the Tories’ refusal to back a Liberal Democrat Lords attempt to reinstate the polls in a Monday vote suggested they are “running scared” of voters.
It came after Badenoch used the Tories’ local election campaign launch on Thursday to warn her party was on course to lose seats in “extremely difficult” 1 May local elections in England.
Farage, whose Reform party does not have any peers, told The i Paper: “It would be disingenuous for the Conservatives to vote for the same motion in the Commons but then vote against this motion in the Lords.
“If the Conservatives really care about democracy, their peers will vote for 5.5m people to have their voice heard in May.”
A Lib Dem source added: “Our motion on Monday will succeed if the Conservatives vote for it, it’s as simple as that.
“Conservative councils across the country are running scared and the Labour government is just leaving the Conservatives in power in county halls around the country, well beyond their sell-by date.
“We have tabled this motion to reverse these election delays and let voters have the voice they deserve.”
The Green Party’s Baroness Jones said: “I believe that a majority of peers are against the government cancelling elections in May. The question is whether the Conservative Party really do want the elections to go ahead when they are likely to lose seats to the greens and other parties?”
Senior Tory sources however argued that backing the reinstatement attempt would break a constitutional convention whereby the two main parties do not back so-called “fatal” motions that would allow the unelected Lords to overrule elected MPs.
However, while rare, both the Tories and Labour have backed these kinds of motions several times in recent decades.
In total, fatal motions have been successful four times between 1997 and the end of 2023, according to House of Lords research.
The Tories on Monday will instead back a so-called “motion to regret” the delay in the elections, which would not be binding on the Government.
The source said: “On Monday, Conservative Peers will push for a division and will vote against the elections being postponed.
“Kemi Badenoch has consistently opposed these elections being cancelled and has led the charge in the House of Commons to block the move.
“The motions from other parties could see the unelected House of Lords overruling the elected House of Commons, which is the opposite of protecting people’s democratic rights, which is what reinstating these elections should be all about.”
Local elections in East Sussex, West Sussex, Essex, Thurrock, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Norfolk, Suffolk and Surrey are being delayed for one year as the Government looks to merge smaller district councils with larger county councils.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has argued that holding elections in these areas before the reorganisation happens would be “an expensive and irresponsible waste of taxpayers’ money”.
Farage’s comments came as BBC News revealed that the Reform leader called his suspended MP Rupert Lowe “disgusting” and “contemptible” in leaked WhatsApp messages.
The report said that Farage was asked by an activist why Reform did not allow a lawyer to finish an investigation into Lowe before he was suspended from the party after criticising the leader, and he responded: “Because he is damaging the party just before elections. Disgusting.”
When it was suggested that the investigation of Lowe was linked to his criticism of the leadership, Farage replied: “We are definitely damaged and within two weeks of nominations. Awful.”
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Badenoch in fresh clash with Farage over push to reinstate postponed elections )
Also on site :
- The Simple Spaghetti Recipe Isabella Rossellini Swears By
- Allison Holker Debuts New Relationship 2 Years After Husband tWitch Boss' Death, Fans Are 'So Thrilled' For Her
- 7 Signs It’s Time to Take Your Memory Issues Seriously