'Stitch up!' Farage compares Starmer to Robert Mugabe as key battleground demands election gets axed in momentum blow to 'turquoise tidal wave'
Nigel Farage says that Elon Musk is ‘not against giving Reform money’
GB News
Nigel Farage has compared Sir Keir Starmer to ex-Zimbabwean dictator Robert Mugabe after it emerged a key council battleground has demanded the Prime Minister delay its looming local election.
Mugabe, who served as President of Zimbabwe for 30 years, became notorious for putting off democratic elections.
He was eventually ousted in 2017 in what was widely regarded as a coup d’etat.
Farage, who was elected as the MP for Clacton on July 4, was left fuming after contests across Essex looked set to face the chop.
Writing on social media, the Reform UK leader said: “This [is] outrageous. Keir Starmer is behaving like Robert Mugabe.”
Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf added: “So all but confirmed: Labour and the Tories have colluded to undermine democracy and cancel local elections.
Farage compares Starmer to Robert Mugabe over election cut
PA
“The establishment is terrified of Reform. All they do is delay the inevitable. The turquoise tidal wave will only grow larger.”
The fury comes after it was revealed that Thurrock Council will look to rubber-stamp postponing its election scheduled for May 1.
Thurrock Council, which covers part of James McMurdock’s South Basildon & East Thurrock seat, said: “For the reasons set out in this report, the Cabinet is recommended to agree: To commit to the Government Priority Programme for Devolution, enabling the Council to focus on working with neighbouring authorities to develop the devolved strategic authority alongside local government reorganisation.
“To agree as a consequence of participation in the Government Devolution Priority Programme, the Leader and Chief Executive approve a letter to the Secretary of State asking to postpone local elections to be held on May 1, 2025.”
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Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf said 'The establishment is terrified of Reform'
GB NewsThere is growing concern that neighbouring authorities could also face electoral disruption, including Essex and Southend-on-Sea.
Reform UK performed strongly in Essex in the 2024 General Election, claiming two seats and finishing second in another five constituencies.
The populist party returned McMurdock in South Basildon & East Thurrock, with Sophie Preston-Hall finishing runner-up in the neighbouring seat of Thurrock.
Ukip also managed to secure nine councillors in the county during the populist party’s peak period.
Cancelling a vote in Essex would also come just weeks after Reform UK frightened the Tories with a strong performance in Stock’s by-election earlier in December.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner seemingly admitted that local elections could be delayed as part of Starmer’s plan to shake-up local authorities after Local Government Minister Jim McMahon last week confirmed that the Prime Minister “may look at postponing” some local elections next year.
Communities minister Jim McMahon admitted that the Prime Minister 'may look at postponing' some local elections next year
PAHowever, McMahon added: “It wouldn’t be for longer than a couple of months, a year.”
Despite facing the biggest challenge in the imminent local elections, Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick criticised the move.
Jenrick, who missed out to Kemi Badenoch in the race to replace Rishi Sunak, said: “Elections should only be postponed in truly exceptional circumstances … Maybe Labour don’t want to face the electorate?”
The Tories currently hold a staggering 1,300 wards, winning many during Boris Johnson’s history-defying 2021 Local Election campaign.
Labour clings onto just 350, with the Liberal Democrats on 313 and Greens securing just 64.
Despite barely contesting recent local elections, at least 12 imminently contested wards are currently held by Reform UK.
Reform UK has secured a number of wards through post-General Election council by-elections and also through defections.
A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesman said: “No decisions have been taken to postpone elections in specific areas.
"Where an area wants to work with us to deliver both reorganisation and devolution to the most ambitious timeline, we will consider a request to postpone an election to help them manage these demands.
"We have asked areas to come forward with such requests on or before January 10 so we can respond on a timetable that provides certainty to areas as soon as possible and protects the taxpayer.”
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