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New: PM has resolved English local elections should go ahead on May 6 as planned, Telegraph understands.
Decision taken by No 10 in recent days, underlining confidence in easing Covid restrictions by early April to allow for campaigning ahead of ballot. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2021/01/20/exc-english-local-elections-set-go-ahead-without-delay-may-6/
Decision taken by No 10 in recent days, underlining confidence in easing Covid restrictions by early April to allow for campaigning ahead of ballot. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2021/01/20/exc-english-local-elections-set-go-ahead-without-delay-may-6/
Electoral Commission has today published research showing a high level of public confidence in England re voting in person
Its survey, conducted in Dec, showed 71% felt safe voting in person (21% said unsafe) if hygiene & distancing measures in place https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/who-we-are-and-what-we-do/our-views-and-research/our-research/public-attitudes-towards-voting-context-covid-19/public-attitudes-towards-voting-england-context-covid-19
Its survey, conducted in Dec, showed 71% felt safe voting in person (21% said unsafe) if hygiene & distancing measures in place https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/who-we-are-and-what-we-do/our-views-and-research/our-research/public-attitudes-towards-voting-context-covid-19/public-attitudes-towards-voting-england-context-covid-19
At time of survey (December), 42% of voters said they'd prefer to cast postal ballot.
Electoral Commission analysis showed that meant 23% who usually voted in person wd switch to post.
Remains to be seen if appetite for postal votes dims with jab rollout / falling Covid cases
Electoral Commission analysis showed that meant 23% who usually voted in person wd switch to post.
Remains to be seen if appetite for postal votes dims with jab rollout / falling Covid cases
Tory source told me: “By Good Friday restrictions should have started to ease, so that allows 4 weeks of campaign...
“Privately what No 10 has worked out is that if they keep talking about how amazing the vaccine rollout is, it doesn’t make sense why they can’t do the elections”
“Privately what No 10 has worked out is that if they keep talking about how amazing the vaccine rollout is, it doesn’t make sense why they can’t do the elections”
Late findings of a safety risk by an ongoing Cabinet Office assessment is only thing that could now upend the central Government assumption that the polls will go ahead on May 6, it's understood.
