Elections put back to 2021
The government had already made clear they were going to put back this year's elections, but yesterday they formally laid the regulations which will postpone all elections in England which would otherwise have taken place before 6th May 2021 to that date.
That includes Mayoral and PCC elections, scheduled local government elections and by-elections.
To the best of my knowledge the specific regulations which the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) wrote to councils about apply specifically to England: I presume the same will be done for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, though this may be a matter for the devolved bodies.
Obviously this will have caused some inconvenience to candidates and activists of all parties and independents, many people but I don't really see that the government had much choice.
Putting the elections back a year removes the risk of causing a double whammy by having to move them a second time if the COVID-19 situation has not eased by the autumn, and causes less disruption than holding them on any other date.
It's one of the few changes caused by Coronavirus which saves more money than it costs, as the elections can take place at the same time as those which were already scheduled for that date.
I don't see this as putting democracy second to fighting the disease - if the government had let the elections go ahead in May there would have been an atrocious turnout unless they could give everyone a postal vote, which there probably wasn't time to organise.
Far better to put the elections back a year and hold them properly with a decent turnout and opportunities to campaign than to hold a "stealth election" with no campaigning and very few people voting.
If it looks six months out like we might not be through the COVID-19 situation sufficiently to hold a normal election by May 2021 then arrangements should be put in place for all-postal voting.
That includes Mayoral and PCC elections, scheduled local government elections and by-elections.
To the best of my knowledge the specific regulations which the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) wrote to councils about apply specifically to England: I presume the same will be done for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, though this may be a matter for the devolved bodies.
Obviously this will have caused some inconvenience to candidates and activists of all parties and independents, many people but I don't really see that the government had much choice.
Putting the elections back a year removes the risk of causing a double whammy by having to move them a second time if the COVID-19 situation has not eased by the autumn, and causes less disruption than holding them on any other date.
It's one of the few changes caused by Coronavirus which saves more money than it costs, as the elections can take place at the same time as those which were already scheduled for that date.
I don't see this as putting democracy second to fighting the disease - if the government had let the elections go ahead in May there would have been an atrocious turnout unless they could give everyone a postal vote, which there probably wasn't time to organise.
Far better to put the elections back a year and hold them properly with a decent turnout and opportunities to campaign than to hold a "stealth election" with no campaigning and very few people voting.
If it looks six months out like we might not be through the COVID-19 situation sufficiently to hold a normal election by May 2021 then arrangements should be put in place for all-postal voting.
Comments
Because of the Coronavirus pandemic the discussions and negotiations about this appear to have come to a juddering halt.
I would hope we can get them going again soon but you will understand why this is not as high up anyone's agenda as it had been.
I'm not putting my shirt on any outcome at the moment.