Harlow District Council elections back on after Labour government perform u-turn
News / Mon 16th Feb 2026 at 02:51pm
LOCAL elections in Harlow will now take place in May after the Government abandoned plans to postpone ballots for 30 councils undergoing Local Government Reorganisation.
Harlow was among the authorities that had formally requested a delay to the 2026 elections, arguing that pausing the polls would ease pressure on officers working on the major restructuring of councils across the region.
In a letter just published the Secretary of State for Local Government has stated that the decision was made in light of legal advice.
On Monday, a Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) spokesperson said: “Following legal advice, the government has withdrawn its original decision to postpone 30 local elections in May.
“Providing certainty to councils about their local elections is now the most crucial thing and all local elections will now go ahead in May 2026.”
A Harlow Reform spokesperson said: “A great Reform victory, it being the prospect of our imminent legal action that has forced PM Starmer’s hand to allow people their right to vote this May.
“Cllr Swords may be found crying into his beer tonight”.
This should mean that local elections should take place in Harlow on Thursday May 7th.
The present political balance in Harlow is: Conservative 17, Labour 15 and Reform 1.
There should be eleven seats up for election across the eleven wards.
Those councillors (should they wish to stand) who came third in the all out elections in May 2024, will be up for election in May. So that is a third of council seats up in May 2026.
More reaction to follow.
Results from May 2024
Seamus
2026-02-16 14:57:50
Excellent news
Scott H
2026-02-16 15:09:44
Yet another Labour U-turn and one in the eye for anti-democratic Dan, who was only too pleased to cancel’s the people’s vote this May!
Lee Dangerfield
2026-02-16 15:18:23
Pack your plant Dan. Your going.
jarrett
2026-02-16 15:38:03
From another site,Starmer was asked if there would be no more U-turns on Radio 2 at 12:39:16: “Absolutely. I know exactly why I was elected in with a five-year mandate to change this country for the better, and that’s what I intend to do.” News broke of one of the biggest U-turns yet – reversing the cancellation of local elections – at 2:20 p.m. 1 hour, 40 minutes, and 44 seconds… Thank Reform for this
Harlow Tories have been great. National Tories were terrible
2026-02-16 15:38:44
This is dangerous for Harlow. The Harlow Tories have been great for Harlow. We need to let them get on with finishing the job. It’s very strange how some Brits in Harlow hate on Dan Swords. He has been the best council leader here for years. If you vote anyone else, you will find out.
Clare Harrison
2026-02-16 15:59:43
As much as I admire Dan Swords for what he has done for Harlow and I have every faith in him and his army regarding building a new music venue etc in our town, I can’t help but be disappointed that the new style Harlow housing bidding system is awful with regard to the fact that I used to be able to bid on bungalows and one bedroom houses and now it is housing jigsaw, I can only bid on one bedroom flats. It’s wrong. You can’t just take away things like that from people. I was born and bred in Harlow and I’m third generation Harlow and Harlow home finder used to allow me to bid on bungalows and now the new system implemented by swords has banned me from this, so that has stopped my admiration for Dan swords. Clare Harrison
Me, Harlow
2026-02-16 16:18:54
So, why we having another so soon anyway? I thought they were every 4 years.
Chris
2026-02-16 16:49:28
I fully support Dan Swords,he is working so hard for this town,let him get on with it. If he loses his position, then what? It will be one step forward and two back.
Tim
2026-02-16 17:41:11
Caution - usual suspects and trolls, careful what you wish for or you may well end up with a hung council and subsequent building sites, lack of council decisions and rising debt for many years to come as it has been proven time and again, political parties are not capable of working together for the good of Harlow!
Eddie
2026-02-16 17:42:11
The rebuilding of the town centre will be in jeopardy if Conservatives do not get reallected.
Marie
2026-02-16 17:49:56
No Thanks to Starmer for his usual turn. around or Harlow council who as usual ignored the people of Harlow. The thanks goes to Reform for pressing forward and giving the ppl back their democratic right to vote. Roll on Reform ✔️✔️
Adam
2026-02-16 17:50:44
Dan has to go over this. You cannot cancel elections, no matter what else you have done. People who cancel elections are up there with every tyrant in history. It is against everything the UK stands for.
Kim O'connor
2026-02-16 18:24:47
THANKS TO REFORM. LETS NOT FORGET THAT. THERE NOT LAUGHING NOW ARE THEY.
Brian Ashton
2026-02-16 19:00:43
Be very careful what you hope for. reform councils across the country have been raising council taxes at above inflation levels while cutting services. When people are hard pressed to meet their current bills, how are they going to afford increases in council taxes. And remember, potentially these will be both at the Harlow level and the county level. At the moment we are seeing homes being built all over the town, a slow regeneration of the town centre. And what will happen, if Reform win, and, as in other places they work on their "DOGE" efforts and services that your elderly relatives rely on are cut for being inefficient or "not value for money". Will you then happily explain to them that you willingly voted reform and it is tough luck that the service they rely on has been cut because it wasn't good value for money.
Richard
2026-02-16 19:27:54
A day when democracy was restored to Harlow Council. Is Kim Jong Swords about to lose his grip on the Council? Hopefully he will. Why is the council budget meeting so late this year? Having trouble getting your budget agreed Dan?
David
2026-02-16 20:40:51
Let's all hope Dan swords hard work won't be undone, the town has at last started to look better, he's done an outstanding job so far.
voteforme
2026-02-16 20:57:26
We have the most go ahead council for years in Harlow. It will be a disaster if Dan and co don't retain power. Much, perhaps depends on who has to stand down in Mark Hall. Lanie Shears (labour) was the candidate with the fewest votes in 2024. Normally she would be the one to stand down but we had a by-election in 2025 so Is it her or is it the winner of that election, Paul Jago (reform) who had 177 fewer votes. If it is Lanie, Reform potentially could win 11 new seats to give 12 and thus be the largest party. Would we see labour and conservatives working together to continue rebuilding Harlow. Reform would have to be different otherwise what's their point. Of course, in Mark Hall Julie Taylor (Green) showed great qualities in leading the issues around garages which would perhaps gain her votes.
voteforme
2026-02-16 20:59:24
And perhaps someone could tell us how much this election will cost.
David
2026-02-16 22:06:15
Tired of the Status Quo parties blaming each other......we need Reform, Harlow poeple first.
Pattie G
2026-02-16 23:53:00
Can’t wait for Reform to win! Finally, a party bold enough to promise lower taxes and higher spending. I’m sure the maths will magically work out this time. Nothing exposes bad ideas faster than actually having to implement them, watching a party campaign on “common sense” immediately run into economic reality could be very educational for the people of Harlow (probably not)
Seamus
2026-02-17 01:16:06
I think most of us will agree Labour councillors are toast. There is no doubt that Dan Swords has been 10 times more effective than any Harlow Labour council has been for decades and that is some low bar BUT, he personally has overseen the biggest sale of Harlow council owned land with the lowest return for houses and flats for Harlow residents in Harlows history. Far too often there has been information requests ignored, obstruction, a clear unwillingness to come clean with funding and the allocation of contracts and the constant approval of dubious planning applications . If he and other tory councillors lose their seats, it will be because they saw the people of Harlow as an Inconvenience rather than as part of the solution.
Mr H Arlow
2026-02-17 06:25:47
After years of things finally moving forward and the town centre actually getting fixed up, we have a chance to ruin it. Vote reform for flags, open racism, violence against people who are different, lies, money laundering, more lies, broken promises, an end to public services, more racism, turning our sovereign nation into a copy of the USA, gross ineptitude, fleecing money from tax payers, even more lies, turning a blind eye to violence against women, selling out everything to line one persons pocket, even more racist lies and violence, pandering to Trump, increases in council tax, and more glorious flags cause flags make everything better!!
gary roberts
2026-02-17 07:49:17
I wonder what the turnout will be given the bulk of the Harlow electorate care more about having a home and sadly having to pay their increased bills this April. Their lack of vital core services such as police on the streets may influence them. I will vote and may stand in Potter Street as an independent again. How many people will do the same in their area to avoid getting Reform elected. Wouldn't it be good to get a council full of independent councillors whose sole purpose would be to improve their areas: It would wouldn't it? Yes.
david amos
2026-02-17 09:14:44
elections should NOT have been delayed I harlow IF dan swords wins then fine but if he loses then at least it a decision made by the harlow people! That why we have a vote
Dan S
2026-02-17 11:35:58
The 30% of Harlow that bother to vote. You'd think more people would care about their benefits.
TonyB
2026-02-17 11:49:04
If the Conservatives lose the election we might be able to see how deep Harlow is in debt. I wonder if Harlow Conservatives will TURN THE NEW TRAFFIC LIGHTS ON to Harlow Town Station before the election, so we can all experience the same mistake authorities made decades ago. For those who do not remember, Harlow had traffic lights previously, they were just on one roundabout, Burnt Mill roundabout. The town stopped moving.
Stuart J
2026-02-17 14:27:25
Tony, traffic lights are under the control of ECC, not Harlow Council.
Frank
2026-02-17 17:13:49
I really hope people see beyond Farage and know they won’t be voting for him but a real bunch of right wing rejects. Wait until you see them out and about, you will get it
Chris
2026-02-17 18:43:27
Someone asked me where I lived last year and I was ashamed to tell them I live in Harlow.With all the improvements planned I was hoping that I could have some pride in the town. Don't get carried away with bar room politics like happened with Brexit (thanks to Mr. Farage) Brexit has not helped us and I voted for it unfortunately. Dan is doing a great job.Just be careful what you wish for and think about the improved town we all want. Don't throw it away because of the Labour government. There is an old saying. "Don't cut off your nose to spite your face."
AB
2026-02-17 19:52:25
The government were being responsible saving tens of millions of pounds on councils that will exist for only a year. The upside is, if Reform win anywhere locals will see what a bunch of dysfunctional incompetents they are, and never vote for the pale blue tories again.
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