Postponing such elections has been done before but there were key differences this time, including a legal challenge
Ministers have abandoned their proposals to delay local elections in 30 English councils after finding they were likely to lose a legal case on the issue. Announced on Monday, the U-turn was made by the housing minister, Matthew Pennycook, after his boss, the housing secretary, Steve Reed, recused himself from the decision.
The chain of events has raised several questions about government decision-making that officials are refusing to answer.
