Labour acting like ‘third world dictators’ fumes Nigel Farage as it emerged local elections could be cancelled

LABOUR leaders were compared to “third world dictators” by Nigel Farage as it emerged some local elections could be cancelled next year.

Under new plans, spearheaded by Deputy PM Angela Rayner, district councils across England will be scrapped while more regional mayors are brought in.

But the shake-up, intended to cut waste, could lead to elections being scrapped in Kent, Essex, Lancashire, Hertfordshire and Sussex.

Reform leader Mr Farage said: “Cancelling elections in areas where Reform are gaining momentum is the act of a desperate government.

“They have the audacity to call us a ‘threat to democracy’ while acting like third world dictators.”

Reform MP Lee Anderson said: “When they can’t beat you at the ballot box they take the ballot box away.

“This is not some South American military regime.”

Local Government Minister Jim McMahon on Monday said the “assumption” is that elections will go ahead.

But he added: “It’s usual that when a council makes a request for reorganisation, if there are elections taking place to a council that essentially won’t exist within the term of those elections, then you hold off the elections.”