Alison McGovern, local government minister, said request to postpone local elections are likely to be approved
NHS England says November saw “the second biggest drop in the waiting list for 15 years outside of the early days of the pandemic”.
As PA Media reports, the waiting list for routine hospital treatment in England has fallen to its lowest level since early 2023. PA says:
An estimated 7.31 million treatments were waiting to be carried out at the end of November 2025, relating to 6.17 million patients, down from 7.40 million treatments and 6.24 patients at the end of October.
The number of treatments waiting to be carried out is now at its lowest level since February 2023, when it stood at 7.22 million.
For too long, patients were promised change in the NHS but saw little of it. This government is turning promises into change people can actually feel.
Waiting lists are down by more than 312,000 and more patients are being treated within 18 weeks. November saw the second biggest monthly drop in waiting lists in 15 years. That means faster care, less anxiety for families and people back on their feet and back to work.
The councils cover more than 5.2 million people and 3.7 million registered voters who will no longer get to choose their local councillors this year.
Almost 600 councillors, including just under 200 Labour councillors, will not have to defend their seat this year. Two thirds of the Labour councils which were asked whether they wanted to delay chose to say that they did, compared with just under a third of Tories.
The Conservatives, who themselves delayed elections in North Yorkshire, Somerset, Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire, are confused.
On the one hand they won’t stand in the way if their local leaders want delays, but on the other they accuse Labour of being “scared of voters”.
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