𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

He added that he did not “believe in cancelling elections”. The email, revealed by ITV News, was sent by the House of Commons Speaker on January 12, just days before the deadline for the authority to write to the government and ask for a delay.

In the email he was asked by a Reform UK councillor if he could “seek assurances” that elections would not be put back, from the local authorities leader. Replying, Mr Hoyle said he had made his views “clearly known to the leader of the Council”. Despite this the Speaker added that he “understood the arguments made for postponing elections” whilst local government reorganisation is ongoing, stating he felt it was up to the local authority itself to decide.

Mr Hoyle wrote: “Whilst I understand the arguments made for postponing elections given the fact that wholesale change will be implemented in the next 12 months, I do not believe in cancelling elections and personally believe that the local elections on May 2026 should take place.”

He added: “I have made these views clearly known to the Leader of the Council. However, this is not a decision I can make. It is for the council in Chorley to determine its own actions and explain their position accordingly to the public.”

A former Labour MP, Sir Lindsay Hoyle does not have a party affiliation for the duration of his time as speaker.

Ministers wrote to 63 local authorities in December last year to give them the option to push back their elections owing to the restructure of councils taking longer than planned.

29 of the authorities have asked for their ballots to be pushed back, of which 20 are run by the Labour Party.