Steve Reed
Secretary of State who reversed the 30-election postponement, paying Reform UK £100k in costs.
Last refreshed: 10 April 2026
Why did the government pay Reform UK £100k to reinstate 30 local elections?
Latest on Steve Reed
- Why did Steve Reed reverse the plan to postpone local elections in February 2026?
- On 16 February 2026, Secretary of State Steve Reed withdrew the government's plan to postpone 30 local elections after receiving updated legal advice ahead of a High Court hearing brought by Reform UK.Source: MHCLG, 16 February 2026
- Why did the government pay Reform UK's legal costs in 2026?
- The government paid approximately £100,000 in legal costs to Reform UK after withdrawing its defence of the local election postponement policy. Reform had launched a High Court challenge and the government conceded before the scheduled hearing.Source: Local Government Lawyer / MHCLG
- Who is Steve Reed and what is his ministerial role?
- Steve Reed MP for Croydon West has served as Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government since July 2024. He previously served as Shadow Environment Secretary.Source: UK Government
- Which local elections were postponed in 2026?
- The government originally planned to postpone 30 local elections in areas undergoing Local Government Reorganisation, including East Sussex, Norfolk, Suffolk, and several district councils. The plan was reversed on 16 February 2026.Source: MHCLG
Background
Steve Reed has served as Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government in Keir Starmer's government since July 2024. On 16 February 2026, he reversed the government's earlier decision to postpone 30 local elections across Local Government Reorganisation areas, citing updated legal advice received ahead of a Divisional Court hearing scheduled for 19-20 February. Reform UK had launched a High Court challenge to the postponement; the government's withdrawal resulted in approximately £100,000 in legal costs being paid to Reform UK from public funds.
Reed previously served as Shadow Environment Secretary under both Keir Starmer and Ed Miliband. He has represented Croydon West since 2012 (formerly Croydon North from a 2012 by-election). Before Parliament he was leader of Lambeth London Borough Council. The £100k Reform legal costs payment became a significant political flashpoint, with critics arguing the government had postponed elections on a flawed legal basis it could have anticipated.
Reed's handling of the postponement controversy matters beyond the immediate episode because it touches the central question of Local Government Reorganisation credibility. Forcing 30 elections to proceed on schedule disrupted LGR timetables in multiple areas, and the £100k payout to a political opponent handed Reform a rhetorical gift at the start of the campaign period. His department's competence is now a live issue heading into the May 2026 elections.