Member

The noble Lord asked me some questions around local elections going ahead outside Surrey, and I understand why he keeps pressing me on the point about the changes to the legal advice. The legal advice did change and that advice is privileged; I cannot give him the detail of what has changed in the advice, because that would mean that it is not privileged anymore. I am sorry not to be able to do that but, as he will be aware, following legal advice, the Government withdrew their original decision to postpone 30 local elections in May, and an order revoking the local authorities SI has now been laid in Parliament, as of 17 February. All local elections will now go ahead in May 2026.