Donna Jones: Labour’s delay to Mayoral elections is an insult to democracy and proof they fear facing the voters

Donna Jones is the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and  the Conservative Candidate as Mayor for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

When the Labour government announced the expansion of Mayors to more regions in England, they actually did something good. A rare but welcome sight. They recognised something Conservatives have long championed: that empowered, locally-accountable Mayors do deliver economic growth, strengthen regional identity, and get results for local communities.

The record under the Conservative government speaks for itself. Mayors such as Ben Houchen in Teesside, Andy Street in the West Midlands and – dare I admit it – Steve Rotheram in Liverpool have transformed their regions.

Labour said they shared this vision. They announced plans to extend Mayoral devolution to almost every region in England. Councils were asked to prepare for this opportunity. It was a tall ask, but councils and officials rose to the challenge, working tirelessly to get ready for the transition.

Then, with no warning and no respect for the work already done, the government abruptly delayed the scheduled 2026 Mayoral elections. The sense of frustration across the nation, across the political spectrum, has been palpable.

Finally, Labour, Reform, Greens and Conservatives can all agree on something – this government is an absolute shambles and their actions will sacrifice billions of pounds worth of investment for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

That is why I am today launching a petition to reinstate these elections as soon as possible in Hampshire, restoring a voice to my region.

Labour frequently talks about “empowering communities.” But when democratic accountability threatens their political interests, that rhetoric evaporates. The decision to delay is not about administration or process; it is about politics. Labour is simply unwilling to face the voters knowing they will lose.

What makes the decision even more maddening is that the district, county and unitary elections will still go ahead as planned on the exact same day as the mayoral poll was to be held. This has left councils in chaos, preparing for a half-in, half-out reformed council structure.

And as we have all come to expect from Keir Starmer’s Labour government the news of the delayed elections was not made to Parliament first, where it could have been scrutinised and debated, but leaked to the media. At a time when trust in politics is fragile, governing by leak is the opposite of what responsible leadership looks like.

Equally troubling is the attempt to shift blame onto councils for supposedly not meeting the deadlines Labour set. Local authorities worked in good faith and delivered exactly what was asked of them. To suggest otherwise is unfair, inaccurate, and deeply demoralising for the dedicated officials who have poured months of effort into making devolution a success.

The reality is obvious: Labour officials, increasingly scared by public polling, did not feel confident heading into mayoral elections across the country and decided delaying them was the safest option. But elections are a fundamental part of our democracy, not a political inconvenience to be moved or cancelled when the governing party becomes nervous.

I am hugely proud that it was the Conservative Party that introduced directly elected metro mayors following our victory in the 2015 General Election. We did so without fear or favour even in areas like Teesside, which on paper were highly unlikely to elect a Conservative to the new position.

We did not play political games, we knew how empowering and transformative the new roles could be for millions of people. It is why, even when firmly controlled by Labour politicians, Conservative governments backed local Mayors. The same cannot now be said of the Labour Party.

Unfortunately a pattern has now become clear. Whether it is bypassing Parliament with leaks, raising taxes to satisfy internal factions, or postponing democratic elections, Starmer is consistently prioritising political self-preservation over public service.

No one voted for constitutional uncertainty or for decisions that place political calculation above accountability.

The consequences for England’s regions, including Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, will be serious. Devolution is not an abstract concept; it unlocks real economic opportunities. Delay creates uncertainty. Businesses reconsider investment. Strategic plans stall. Councils pause long-term commitments. In effect, Labour has placed a brake on billions of pounds of investment at precisely the time we should be accelerating it.

This matters especially for my area. Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are regions of enormous potential, thriving maritime industries, strong universities, expanding tech clusters, and vibrant cultural assets. Devolution offers the chance to harness these strengths with a clear, locally driven strategy and turbocharge them.

As a former council leader and now Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, I understand first-hand what our communities need to flourish. We need investment targeted at local priorities, not one-size-fits-all solutions from Whitehall.

We need the tools to crack down on crime, to attract high-quality, well-paid jobs, and to improve our transport network so that people can access opportunities across the region. A Mayor would have offered the mandate, resources, and visibility to deliver precisely that.

I was ready to make that case. More importantly, the people of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight were ready to have their say. Instead, Labour has decided that they must simply wait. Their democratic right to choose their regional leader has been set aside so the government can avoid an election it fears losing.

It is not only disappointing; it is profoundly short-sighted. Strong regional leadership is central to driving national growth. Empowered local leaders create jobs, forge partnerships, and champion their regions on the national and international stage. Postponing this progress does not strengthen the country, it holds it back.

The people of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, and every region affected, deserve better.

I therefore call on anyone who believes in democracy, local accountability, and economic prosperity of local regions to sign my petition, make sure their voice is heard, and to tell Labour they cannot get away with cancelling elections.