Twenty-two English councils expected to delay elections amid fears of Labour wipeout

"From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground."

"Around a third of eligible councils in England are expected to delay their local elections, which were due to take place in May. There are fears Labour could face a wipeout in some areas amid a Reform surge at the local elections, meaning the possible delays have sparked outrage from Nigel Farage's party. Last month, the government said some 63 council areas could postpone elections until 2027 after some told ministers they lacked the capacity to reorganise in time."

A national news outlet emphasizes the need for on-the-ground reporting across issues from reproductive rights to climate change and Big Tech, funded by reader donations to avoid paywalls. The outlet presents donations as necessary to keep reporters speaking to both sides and to make quality journalism available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Around a third of eligible councils in England are expected to delay May local elections as Labour implements plans to merge two-tier authorities into unitary councils by 2028. The government identified 63 councils that might postpone ballots because some reported lacking the capacity to reorganise in time. Many requesting councils are Labour-led, with a smaller number Conservative- or Liberal Democrat-led, and opposition parties have criticised the delays.

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