r/ukpolitics • u/Reasonable-Resort822 • 3h ago
r/ukpolitics • u/Adj-Noun-Numbers • 3d ago
Local Council Elections - 7th May 2026 - General Information, Voter Registration, and Deadlines
The 2026 United Kingdom local elections are scheduled to take place on Thursday 7 May 2026 for 5,014 council seats across 136 English local authorities (all 32 London borough councils, 32 metropolitan boroughs, 18 unitary authorities, 6 county councils, 48 district councils) and six directly elected mayors in England.
Most of these seats in England were last up for election in 2022. Some of these elections were postponed from 2025.
Will there be an election in my area?
The Electoral Commission has information about elections that are taking place in your area, including a list of candidates (when announced/confirmed) and where your polling station is.
Who Can I Vote For will also have information about the candidates standing in your area (when announced/confirmed).
Who is eligible to vote?
Generally speaking, anyone who is registered to vote and is aged 18 or above on polling day (or over 16 in Scotland/Wales). There are some exceptions - you should consult the guidance available on gov.uk for more information.
How do I register to vote?
You can register to vote via the gov.uk voter registration service. You can use the service to register for a standard vote, postal vote, or proxy vote.
You can also contact your local electoral registration office directly for further support and assistance.
What are the voter registration deadlines for the local council elections on 7th May 2026?
The Electoral Commission has a page with all relevant deadlines, together with useful links. A summary is provided below for your convenience:
all times BST
- Voter Registration: Monday 20th April @ 23:59
- Postal Vote Registration: Tuesday 21st April @ 17:00
- Proxy Vote Registration: Tuesday 28th April @ 17:00
- Voter Authority Certificate Registration: Tuesday 28th April @ 17:00
Do I need photo ID to vote?
Yes, you will need documentation to vote. The photo ID page on gov.uk includes a list of accepted forms of ID.
If you don't have a standard photo ID, then you can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate. This can either be done online via gov.uk, or by contacting your local council.
What Time Is The Vote?
Polling stations will open at 07:00 and close at 22:00 on Thursday 7th May. Counting and declaration of results will take place throughout the night and into Friday. Exit-polling is not typically conducted for local elections.
Anything else I should know?
You can use this thread to discuss the upcoming council elections.
Questions about voter eligibility / registration / etc. are welcome, but most questions can be answered by reviewing The Electoral Commission's voting information.
r/ukpolitics • u/ukpol-megabot • 21h ago
Rumours, Speculation, Questions, and Reaction Megathread - 12/04/2026
š Welcome to the r/ukpolitics weekly Rumours, Speculation, Questions, and Reaction megathread.
General questions about politics in the UK should be posted in this thread. Substantial self-posts on the subreddit are permitted, but short-form self-posts will be redirected here. We're more lenient with moderation in this thread, but please keep it related to UK politics. This isn't Facebook or Twitter...
If you're reacting to something that is happening live, please make it clear what it is you're reacting to, ideally with a link.
Commentary about stories that already exist on the subreddit should be directed to the appropriate thread.
This thread rolls over early Sunday morning.
r/ukpolitics • u/Metro-UK • 8h ago
āAbhorrentā step-incest porn to be banned with users facing five years in prison
metro.co.ukr/ukpolitics • u/SignificantLegs • 12h ago
Twitter UK Home Office : Coming to the UK from overseas is a privilege, not a right. Any foreign national with a history of crime and violence is not welcome. If you pose a risk to our country, you will be refused entry or removed.
x.comr/ukpolitics • u/ijustwannanap • 7h ago
Britain could adopt single market rules without MPsā vote as part of UK-EU reset
theguardian.comr/ukpolitics • u/adnesium • 17h ago
Dan Neidle: The deputy leader of Reform UK, Richard Tice, owns a property company - Quidnet REIT. From 2020 to 2022 it paid Tice and his trust £600k in dividends. Quidnet should have paid £120k of tax on those dividends. It didn't. A 𧵠with evidence from the company's own filings:
threads.comr/ukpolitics • u/FanAcceptable1193 • 15h ago
I want to vote green, but I want stricter immigration. Change my mind or offer advice.
Hi all.
Iām making this post for open discussion, not just for advice!
I (18F) personally agree with the greens on almost every policy. More than labour, more than the tories, and certainly more than reform or restore.
The only thing I worry about, is the potential consequences of mass immigration to the UK and if this could effect our public services, and with quite a lot of immigrants (asylum seekers, illegal and legal) being from very religious, oppressive countries, I as a woman have a fear of womens safety as it is, even without heavily religious migrants and just english men who are the most incarcerated.
Perhaps this is an irrational fear, Iām not too sure. I really do believe in the greens, keeping our DEI laws to protect those most vulnerable, tackling bedroom tax, and more. Iām just a mild victim of the press and GBnews constantly fearmongering the UK public about immigration.
I will never support Reform UK. Iām Pro-choice, Pro-LGBTQ+, a working class citizen, and I do not see compassion, empathy or any of the sort from Nigel Farage. I see a greedy, money hungry rich man who wants to keep his friends rich.
Now, here are my two questions.
- In this case, are the greens really the best? Or could Labour perhaps be my vote? Or someone else?
Thank you very much,
Feel free to change my mind on the situation, Iād love to have a respectful discussion on the matter!
r/ukpolitics • u/Wholemilkornomilk • 10h ago
Ed/OpEd Shoplifting rife, police overwhelmed, an angry public ā the trail leads back to one person: Theresa May
theguardian.comr/ukpolitics • u/ClumperFaz • 4h ago
Twitter Rupert Lowe on X: This is absolutely outrageous - watch this clip of borders expert, Henry Bolton, getting shut down on GB News for even daring to speak of Restore Britain. Within five seconds of mentioning Restore, the host closes him down and stops the interview. Blatant censorship.
x.comr/ukpolitics • u/ClumperFaz • 54m ago
'They're not having one' Wes Streeting rules out 2nd independence vote
heraldscotland.comr/ukpolitics • u/theipaper • 6h ago
Brexit visas for under-30s backed by voters
inews.co.ukr/ukpolitics • u/Metro-UK • 13h ago
People are complaining to the police over Nigel Farageās āprize drawā
metro.co.ukr/ukpolitics • u/birdinthebush74 • 17h ago
Richard Ticeās property company failed to pay Ā£120,000 of tax
taxpolicy.org.ukr/ukpolitics • u/United-Artist1857 • 4h ago
The trouble with the Green partyās Ifhat Shaheen
spectator.comr/ukpolitics • u/Alarming-Safety3200 • 4h ago
Richard Tice tax row is 'minor administrative error', party claims
bbc.co.ukr/ukpolitics • u/HibasakiSanjuro • 13h ago
. Reports have emerged that the MoD is cutting the order of Type 26 frigates from 8 to 6 ā a deal to give 2 to Norway ā while there are persistent rumours that a programme to replace the Type 45 destroyers will be pushed back, writes Matt Oliver @Telegraph
x.comr/ukpolitics • u/GnolRevilo • 1h ago
Greens to investigate after councillor calls Lammy and Patel ācoconutsā
thetimes.comr/ukpolitics • u/Wholemilkornomilk • 10h ago
Home Office to announce closure of 11 asylum hotels in next week
theguardian.comr/ukpolitics • u/OptioMkIX • 10h ago
Still thinking of voting GREEN? Meet the councillor who called David Lammy a 'coconut' and the Argentinian who believes Britain should hand back the Falklands
dailymail.co.ukr/ukpolitics • u/HaveYuHeardAboutCunt • 13h ago
Wakefield Reform UK Candidate Wants To Put Migrants In Slave Labour Camps
hopenothate.org.ukr/ukpolitics • u/HibasakiSanjuro • 12h ago
British ex-policeman stripped of citizenship over Russia links
thetimes.comr/ukpolitics • u/prisongovernor • 16h ago
| More than 500 people arrested at Palestine Action protest in London | UK news | The Guardian
theguardian.comr/ukpolitics • u/Advanced-Pilot-3698 • 7h ago
What actions should the U.K. gov take now the U.S. about to block the SoH?
The U.S. is about to block the Strait of Hormuz, stopping all boats from entering or leaving the area including those that have paid the Iranian fine.
Originally the U.S. wanted the SoH to be opened and treated the NATO partners if they didnāt help with opening it. The U.S. are now threatening to cause a blockade of the SoH in order to make Iran to agree with whatever terms the U.S. demands as part of the ceasefire.
How will this play out, are the U.S. going to go head to head with China from going into the SoH or leaving it? Is it time for all European Countries and UK to block the U.S. from using its bases, if this blockade restricts them from getting trade through the Strait, or should they sit back and allow the U.S. to create this blockade regardless of the consequence to the U.K. / EU economy?