LABOUR was slammed from its own backbenches over a move to postpone mayoral elections for two years in four parts of the country.

Former local government minister Jim McMahon, axed in the autumn reshuffle, accused the government of ignoring “a moral and a legal obligation” to hold the polls on schedule.

The elections for new mayors in Essex, Sussex, Hampshire/Solent and Norfolk/Suffolk will now be delayed until 2028, rather than taking place next May as previously planned.

Ministers are blaming the delay on needing more time to get the strategic authorities the mayors will supervise in play, while dissolving existing local councils. This follows the postponement of several elections earlier this year.

Mr McMahon said local parties “across the political spectrum” had accepted the reorganisation plans in good faith and had selected candidates to fight the elections.

“The government had a moral and a legal obligation to honour its side of the bargain,” he added in the Commons.

Reform claimed the government was running scared of the voters and indeed it seems unlikely that Labour would win any of the contests.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said: “This is the second time Labour have cancelled elections.  Democracy isn’t optional. We will oppose this every step of the way.”

And Liberal Democrat local government spokesperson Zoe Franklin said “this is a disgrace. Democracy delayed is democracy denied.”

Other elections scheduled for next May, to local authorities and devolved assemblies in Scotland and Wales, will take place as planned.