Liberal Democrats slam Labour’s attempt to cancel democracy this May

Exeter’s Liberal Democrat Councillors and campaigners have condemned the ruling Labour group’s request to Government that May’s City Council elections be cancelled.

Lib Dem Councillors led the charge against suspending democracy at the Full Council meeting on Tuesday 13 January 2026.

At the meeting, Labour Councillor after Labour Councillor stood up to read off pre-prepared lines - to defend denying the people of Exeter their democratic right to choose their representatives. From claims about the cost of holding an election, to concerns over the capacity of Council Officers to deliver the elections, and bizarre claims about Devon County Council, one thing became clear throughout the meeting: this ruling Labour group view democracy as an inconvenience.

At the end of the debate, the Labour Leader of the Council confirmed that he would be writing to the Government to request the postponement of the elections. This is despite him saying he had “no intention” of doing so at a Council meeting in July 2025, after being challenged on the subject by Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Cllr Michael Mitchell.

Cllr Michael Mitchell, Liberal Democrat Group Leader said: “It is clear that Labour are seeking to deny democracy in Exeter to suit their own ends. Eight Labour seats were due to be up for election in May, including those of five members of the Executive. The most powerful body within the council made up solely of Labour councillors. They only need to lose 3 seats to lose their majority on the council.

“With Labour’s historically low polling figures and following their total wipeout from Devon County Council last year, it could not be clearer that Labour are running scared of the people of Exeter's verdict on their record in office.”

Cllr Tammy Palmer, Duryard & St James ward, added: “This is a very dark day for democracy in our city. Never did I think that I would be sitting in a meeting to discuss the removal of what I believe to be one of the most basic and important democratic rights in this country – the right to vote.

“Trust in politicians is hard to gain. Labour’s attempt to cancel these elections just shows that they are not to be trusted to govern Exeter. How can residents place their trust in a Council that doesn’t trust its residents’ ability to vote for their own representatives?

“The Leader kept making references to Frank Sinatra’s iconic song, My Way. We now know what the Leader’s Way is – clinging onto power by any means necessary.”

Cllr Adrian Fullam, St Thomas ward, added: “Exeter Labour have set a dangerous precedent by seeking to cancel these elections. By cancelling elections they view as inconvenient, they have opened the door to a future government using one lame excuse to remove our democratic rights.

“Six weeks ago, Local Government Reorganisation was going fine. Now, they say it’s an existential threat that holding these elections could derail it entirely. Residents of Exeter should make no mistake – this isn’t a decision based on Council capacity to deliver reorganisation, it is a façade for Labour to cling to power and avoid a reckoning at the ballot box.”

Cllr Kevin Mitchell, Duryard & St James, said: “Every Councillor is given a mandate by the electorate within their wards to represent them for a term of office before they then seek re-election. By removing this contract with the electorate, the Labour council has broken that important bond of trust and the legitimacy of any decision by the Council will be lost. All councillors who have supported the cancellation of these vital elections should take a hard look in the mirror because communities have been let down.”

Following Tuesday’s meeting in Exeter, Liberal Democrat-controlled Devon County Council and Teignbridge District Council both offered to support Exeter City Council in running the local elections in May 2026, by lending officer capacity and support.

Cllr Michael Mitchell added: “Labour’s excuse for requesting this cancellation was that Exeter City Council’s officers did not have the capacity to deliver these local elections. With this offer of help from Devon County Council and Teignbridge District Council, that additional capacity has now been found.

“Labour must immediately withdraw their letter to the Minister and take these other Councils up on their offer to help restore democracy to the people of Exeter. Anything less than this will just prove beyond all doubt that this was a political decision, made to avoid their night of reckoning from the residents of Exeter.”