Before Christmas the Labour Local Government Secretary invited local councils with elections to apply to delay them pending local government reorganisation. Despite no clear timetable for the changes, local Labour has applied to delay the elections in May.
Cllr Kris Wilson, Leader of the Opposition, said:
Cancelling the elections in May is an attempt by Labour – locally and nationally – to deny local residents their democratic right to vote. I don’t think anyone can deny that politics at the moment is volatile, but running away from the electorate is not the answer.
Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council is currently in no overall control, meaning no one party has an outright majority. The elections in May could alter the balance of power in Nuneaton and Bedworth.
Cllr Wilson continued:
Disagreeing with your opponents over policy is everyday politics, and if you lose a vote you learn to accept it. But denying our right to vote goes much further than ordinary political disagreement – it undermines our fundamental rights and the democracy that generations before us have fought hard to build.
This is not a time of war. Covid is over. There is no clear timetable for the changes to local government. Therefore, there is no justification for delay that withstands scrutiny.
As a result of this extraordinary step by the controlling Labour group, the Conservative opposition has been forced to take an extraordinary response. Those who try to take away our right to vote must be held to account. Therefore, tonight I have submitted a request to the Chief Executive of the Council to call a special meeting to consider a vote of no confidence in the Leader of the Council.