AHEAD of an expected announcement from the government this afternoon (Wednesday, 5 February) regarding local government devolution and the future of planned elections in Essex, including the all-out poll scheduled for Thurrock in May, the borough's Reform group have predicted cancellation of the local ballot.

Reform says its source of news was a social media commentator. When the announcement came around 1.30pm, Lib Sem Vikki Slade MP quizzed minister Angela Rayner as to how external sources got access to information, and MPs were able to read it on social media in advance of her announcement. 

The voice of the party locally is Cllr Alex Anderson, who has issued an announcement under a heading 'Labour won't stop the boats, but they'll stop the votes!'

Cllr Amnderson says: "Reform UK are disappointed to hear that the Labour Government have announced plans to indefinitely delay elections in Thurrock.

"It would seem the Labour Party are putting more effort into kicking democracy into the long-grass, than they are stopping the boats crossing the Channel.

"Kier Starmer's historically unpopular tin-pot dictatorship is on its knees, so he's decided to cancel democracy in a desperate bid to stop his Labour Party losing Council's like Thurrock to Reform in May's election. While in opposition Labour's John Kent blasted previous suggestions that elections be delayed in Thurrock.

"Now that Thurrock Labour run the Council and are the ones collecting special allowances totalling over £100,000, they're happy to forego democratic judgement.

"The hypocrisy is rank and wafts thick. Voters have a clear choice - vote for the Tory/Labour anti-democratic double act, whenever Keir Starmer permits us an election, or vote for real change with Reform UK. We're happy to look at local government reform, cutting the number of politicians and civil servants. But cancelling elections for up to three years because you're in for a hiding is disgraceful."