Furious Brits are threatening to withhold council tax payments in protests of their local election being postponed.
On Wednesday, deputy prime minister Angela Rayner confirmed that millions of people will not be able to cast their ballots in this year’s local elections on May 1. A total of nine councils will instead hold elections next year, sparking fury among local residents.
Over 5 million people will be subject to council tax rises in areas where local elections are cancelled.
Analysis from GB News shows how much the nine local authorities will hike up council tax rates by following an investigation into tax rises. The company found that nearly every council in England is raising council tax by the minimum legal limit, with 103 out of 107 increasing bills by over £100.
Council tax increases where elections are cancelled:
Isle of Wight – £118.46 (Council Tax 2025/26: £2492.46)
Thurrock – £101.85 (Council Tax 2025/26: £2142.80)
East Sussex – £88.72 (Council Tax 2025/26: £1866.72)
West Sussex – £81.49 (Council Tax 2025/26: £1714.49)
Norfolk – £79.44 (Council Tax 2025/26: £1671.40)
Suffolk – £78.39 (Council Tax 2025/26: £1649.39)
Hampshire – £76.50 (Council Tax 2025/26: £1609.00)
Essex – £75.95 (Council Tax 2025/26: £1597.95)
Surrey – £72.70 (Council Tax 2025/26: £1529.70).
On Wednesday, Reform UK held an emergency press conference following Ms Rayner’s announcement as Nigel Farage accused Labour and Conservative-run councils of “collusions”. He said: “I thought that only dictators cancelled elections… but what I see today is collusion to stave off the threat of Reform UK on May 1.”
Reform UK has also launched a petition against the delay in elections, calling on Brits to sign it during a video released on the social media platform X. At the time of writing, the petition has 277,862 signatures.
During the Westminster press conference, Mr Farage blamed the “cowardice of the existing political class” for the move.
Liberal Democrat Leader Sir Ed Davey echoed this, saying the delays were a “disgraceful stitch up between Labour and the Conservatives”.
He said: “The Liberal Democrats made sweeping gains against the Conservatives at the general election, and now failing Tory-run councils are running scared and denying voters a chance to kick them out of office in May.”
