FACT CHECK: No, Keir Starmer Is Not Going To Cancel County Council Elections In May 2025

January 8th, 2025
EPSOM, ENGLAND - JANUARY 06: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer answers questions from the media during a visit to the Elective Orthopaedic Centre at Epsom Hospital on January 06, 2025 in Epsom, England. The government is setting out details on how it will deliver its 'Plan for Change' goal of cutting NHS waiting times. According to figures released in October 2024, more than 6 million people are currently on NHS waiting lists for medical treatment. Keir Starmer made a campaign pledge in the run up to the general election last year that 92% of patients should receive treatment within 18 weeks of referral by 2029 - a target that has not been met since 2015. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

A post shared on Facebook claims British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is going to scrap county council elections in May 2025. 

Verdict: False  

There is no evidence for this claim.

Fact Check: 

Tesla CEO Elon Musk called for Starmer to be arrested and suggested that Americans need to “liberate” Britain, according to AP News. Starmer said these comments were “undermining” democracy in the U.K. and said Musk was spreading “misinformation,” according to the outlet.

A post shared on Facebook purports Starmer is cancelling the elections in 2025. The post shared a screenshot of an X post making the claim with an image of the politician.

The post reads, “BREAKING:  Keir Starmer is set to SCRAP the County council elections in May 2025, marking the first time this has happened since World War II. The situation in Britain isn’t just an exaggeration; a dictatorship is in play.”

The caption reads, “HE MUST BE STOPPED THERE IS NO END TO HIS EGO!!!”

The post is inaccurate, however. There are no credible news reports to suggest that city council elections are to be cancelled. (RELATED: Did Keir Starmer Tell UK Residents To Leave The Country If They Disagree With Labour Party Policies?) 

In a video from Guardian News, UK Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said around the 50:10 timestamp that there is no current plan to delay the May 2025 local elections. Surrey County Council might postpone local elections in May in the interest of local government reform, but a local councillor has urged for the elections to proceed as scheduled, according to BBC.

 

Check Your Fact reached out to a spokesperson for the U.K. Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government for comment.

Anna Mock

Fact Check Reporter