The leader of the Conservative group on the Isle of Wight Council, Ed Blake, has voiced his opposition to postponing local elections for a second time, saying ‘Islanders have a right to democracy’.
The elections for the Isle of Wight Council were due to be held in May of this year, but were postponed due to local Government reorganisation.
The Local Government Minister Alison McGovern has now written to council leaders to ask whether they would be seeking to delay the already postponed council elections in May 2026 as well.
Local authorities have until 15th January 2026 to decide whether they would like these elections to go ahead.
Island Echo understands that councillors here on the Isle of Wight are due to meet on Tuesday 6th January to discuss the potential postponement.
However, the Conservatives – and Reform UK too – are clear that elections must go ahead.
Councillor Ed Blake, Conservative group leader, has said:
“Last year the Independent and Green Alliance, through their Cabinet, voted to engage in a priority programme for becoming a devolved area. This was despite the indicative motion falling at the Emergency Full Council meeting prior to that decision.
Article continues below this advertisement “This resulted in a delaying of the local elections. Now, the Government have come back to ask Councils involved in Local Government Reorganisation if they would like to delay their elections – yet again!
“The answer must be sent immediately back to them, unequivocally – No. We want our elections to go ahead in May 2026. No more delays!
“Leader of the Council, Phil Jordan, has proposed we wait to accumulate our thoughts on this matter and meet up, as Councillors, to decide what our answer is. This should not be up for debate. Islanders have a right to democracy.”
Liebor absolutely shi**ing themselves 14% in the latest national polls Starmer Reeves and Quigley days are numbered.
The sooner the better, people thought 14 years of Tories
were bad, this lot have been in 5 minutes and are worse.
According to Sky news the Islands vote will be going ahead.
And there are never any u-turns?
Let’s hope so, democracy needs to live on.
To postpone the elections again would yet another insult to us all, a dereliction of their duty to uphold democracy. We, the electorate could always vote anyway with our direct debits that we pay the council tax with.
I read a quarter of our Council tax money goes into
council pension pots.
The Council needs to get rid of half of their work force
and stop raising council tax.
Enough is Enough
The Deformers will be throwing their toys out the
pram.
Bless them.
UK citizens have been allowed democratic elections since at least 1832. Regardless of the incumbent party, being scared to hold them.
But Its rare for whoever controls Parliament, to honour its election pledges.
Successive UK Governments, including Labour, has rightly criticised other foreign nations, who cancel elections. Over to Starmer.
We are always being told how bad other countries are
too be honest I know who the enemy is, and it ain’t
Mr P.
Don’t you fucking dare !
We won’t have a say.
I read earlier that WW3 is only months away.
They won’t give people their votes but will soon want
people to go to war.
It’s quite comical really.