The hon. Member argued that cancelling elections is fundamentally dishonest and should only be done in extreme situations. He highlighted the lack of a democratic mandate for the structure of local government in Havering, which is currently part of the Greater London Authority. He called for a referendum to decide whether Havering should be a unitary authority or part of the new Greater Essex. He praised the petition that led to the debate and expressed confidence in a significant change in the local council.

David Simmonds expressed concerns over the Government's failure to deliver on their devolution priority programme, leading to cancellations of local elections. He criticised the lack of direction and chaos in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, which has left local government leaders in a difficult position. Simmonds questioned why the Government had reversed their decision to cancel elections despite legal advice previously indicating that it was lawful. He also raised concerns about the £63 million 'capacity' grant and the guidance provided for its use.

Gavin Robinson responded to Mark Francois, emphasizing the importance of democratic rights for local councillors and the need for people to have a say in who runs their services through elections. He highlighted the responsibilities of local government, including planning, housing, and social care, and questioned why local councillors should not have to renew their contract of employment via the ballot box, similar to Members of Parliament.

Gideon Amos criticised the government's decision to cancel local elections, stating it contravened the democratic mandates given to elected councillors. He called for full disclosure of legal and other advice relied upon by the government and questioned the legality of the 2021 election postponement in Cumbria, Carlisle, South Lakeland, and Somerset. He also raised concerns over the Government's top-down reorganisation of councils and the potential impact on electoral services officers whose district councils were lined up for abolition.

Jim Shannon intervened to support the notion that elections are crucial for communities to hold leaders accountable and set local priorities. He emphasised the importance of not denying people their right to vote.

John Milne criticised the Government's handling of the local government reorganisation process, describing it as shambolic and highlighting the distress caused by the decision to allow councils to postpone their elections. He supported the petitioners and urged the Minister to amend legislation to remove the Secretary of State's right to cancel elections.

Mark Francois, a former local councillor in Basildon, stated that the Government's decision to hold local elections is beneficial, especially for Labour-led councils in Basildon, Southend, and Thurrock, which will now face the electorate regarding their poor performance. Mark Francois provides historical context by mentioning that a general election was held in Britain in July 1945 during the second world war, arguing that local elections could be held this May in peacetime. Mark Francois criticised the government's decision to postpone mayoral elections in Essex to May 2028, arguing that it leads to an unelected combined authority and a lack of public demand for a mayor. He questioned the logic behind moving from one two-tier system to another, noting that previous attempts at local government reform failed due to disagreements. Francois also called for the results of the consultation on local government reorganisation to be published before the elections to ensure transparency. He advised the Minister to abandon the local government reforms in Essex, describing them as a shambles. He pointed out that the Government's plans would create two tiers of local government replacing two different tiers, arguing that it is a fantasy to claim otherwise.

Nigel Farage highlighted the issue of local elections being cancelled or delayed, arguing that this undermines the principle of 'no taxation without representation'. He mentioned that 153,000 people had signed a petition and that 4.6 million people would vote due to a judicial review. Farage argued that the power to cancel elections should be subject to primary legislation and open debate in Parliament.

Will Forster expressed concern about the unreasonably lost right to vote in Surrey county council's elections due to local government reorganisation. He questioned the legality of the postponement of elections and urged the Government to regain trust by publishing legal advice and preventing future cancellation of local elections. The hon. Member highlighted the issue of a new council called West Surrey, which includes only one sixth of the area in south Middlesex. He expressed concern about the council inheriting over £4 billion of debt from former Conservative administrations, noting that this is a more pressing issue than the council's name.