Nigel Farage, never one to shy from a political fight, is once again at the center of a high-stakes battle—this time over the Government’s decision to postpone a series of inaugural mayoral elections across the south and east of England. The move, announced on December 4, 2025, has sparked a legal challenge from Farage and his Reform UK party, who argue that millions of voters are being denied their democratic rights just as the party was poised for major gains.
The elections, originally scheduled for May 2025, were set to take place in newly created combined authorities: Sussex and Brighton, Hampshire and the Solent, Norfolk and Suffolk, and Greater Essex. According to reporting by GB News and The Telegraph, more than five million residents in these regions will now have to wait until 2028 to cast their ballots for mayor—a delay that has angered not just Reform UK but also many local voters hungry for change.
The Government attributes the postponement to the complexity of merging local authorities as part of a broader devolution drive. The goal, officials say, is to give regions more power and funding by establishing combined authorities led by mayors, who would then oversee new unitary councils responsible for all local services. The reforms involve scrapping district councils and merging them to create these new bodies—a process that, according to the Government, simply requires more time to get right.
Angela Rayner, the former deputy prime minister, was the one to officially announce the delay. She argued that pushing back the elections was necessary to "establish combined authorities led by mayors, who would then be given greater powers and funding." The Government has promised that each region will receive £200 million in annual investment as part of the reorganization, with the aim of delivering new homes, better transport, and more jobs to local communities.
A Government spokesperson defended the move, telling The Telegraph: "This will deliver the homes, better transport and jobs these communities want. It is right that local government reorganisation is completed in these regions first so that devolution is built on a strong foundation. We make no apologies for taking this responsible approach." The spokesperson also took a swipe at Farage, saying, "Reform should be welcoming this vital investment, but it is no wonder that Nigel Farage’s chaotic and divisive response is to waste taxpayers’ money with a pointless legal challenge."
But for Farage and his supporters, the timing of the delay is deeply suspicious. Polling data from September 2025, conducted by YouGov and reported in The Telegraph, showed Reform UK candidates leading in several of the affected areas. In Greater Essex and Norfolk and Suffolk, Reform was polling at 34%—more than ten points ahead of the Conservatives in Essex. In Hampshire and the Solent, the party held a 27% share, while in Sussex and Brighton, Reform was neck-and-neck with the Liberal Democrats at 25% and 22%, respectively.
Reform UK’s director of policy, Zia Yusuf, didn’t mince words, calling the move a "blatant attempt to stop big wins" for the party. Farage himself echoed this sentiment, telling The Telegraph: "We are actively pursuing a judicial review action against the Government over yet another attempt to delay elections where they fear Reform will win. Labour’s plans to cancel even more votes this year than last year must be challenged."
The legal challenge will focus on several key arguments. Reform UK has already instructed a King’s Counsel (KC) to advise on the legality of the postponement. The party wants to know if the Government should have laid a statutory instrument as part of the legislative process, whether there was procedural impropriety—particularly around the lack of consultation before the decision—and if there has been a breach of legitimate expectation. Perhaps most significantly, they will examine whether delaying the elections constitutes a breach of the Human Rights Act, specifically the right to free and fair elections.
A source within Reform UK told The Telegraph that the party believes it has a "strong chance" of getting the judicial review to trial. The sense of urgency is palpable, with Farage and his team determined to hold the Government to account and, if possible, force a reversal of the postponement. The party’s legal team is expected to move quickly, buoyed by what they see as a clear-cut case of political interference in the democratic process.
Meanwhile, the postponement comes at a time when Reform UK has been riding a wave of momentum. In the local council elections held in May 2025, the party made significant gains—winning more than 600 seats and taking control of 10 councils, including Kent and Lincolnshire. These results have emboldened Farage and his followers, who see the delayed mayoral elections as a missed opportunity to build on their recent successes.
The political landscape is shifting in other ways, too. During a Reform UK rally in Falkirk, Lord Offord of Garvel—a former Conservative minister and treasurer of the Scottish Conservative Party—was announced as the party’s first member in the House of Lords following his defection. Lord Offord made his intentions clear, stating: "The first objective is to remove this rotten SNP Government after 18 years, and the second is to present a positive vision for Scotland inside the UK, to restore Scotland to being a prosperous, proud, healthy and happy country."
While the Government insists that its approach is about empowering communities and ensuring a smooth transition to new local governance structures, critics argue that the delay undermines public trust and democratic participation. Reform UK’s supporters are particularly vocal, insisting that the party’s rising popularity is precisely why the Government has chosen to act now.
At the heart of the dispute lies a classic political clash: one side sees necessary administrative reform and responsible governance, while the other sees a cynical attempt to stymie a surging political rival. As the legal process unfolds, millions of voters across the south and east of England will be watching closely, wondering when—or if—they’ll get their chance to have a say in the future of their communities.
With the stakes high and tempers flaring, the outcome of Farage’s legal challenge could set a precedent for how electoral delays are handled in the context of major political and administrative reforms. For now, the battle lines are drawn, and both sides appear ready for a protracted fight.
Whatever the courts decide, the controversy has already highlighted the deep divisions—and the growing appetite for change—within the British political landscape.