Reform-ing local government

In the wake of last week’s local election results, which saw Reform gain 677 seats, taking control of 10 councils in the process and winning two mayoralties, what next for the party? The latest YouGov poll would suggest more of the same: enjoying a boost from those election results, Reform is now polling at 29%, up three percentage points, with Labour on 22% and the Conservatives down at 17%, a six-year low. With the Lib Dems on 16%, two-party politics are in fast retreat.

Reform’s rise has been accompanied by provocative pledges: banning all but Union and English flags from council buildings, eliminating ‘woke’ EDI roles, and ending remote work. These headline-grabbing policies may seem like political theatre, but some statements, particularly around renewable energy, signal deeper intent.

Over the weekend, Reform’s Deputy Leader Richard Tice noted that the party would use ‘every lever’ available to block renewable energy projects and would be writing to developers in Lincolnshire (where Reform took both the county council and the newly formed Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority last week) to let them know that ‘This is war. We will wage war against you and your terrible ideas’ (Daily Telegraph).

Further intent has come in the form of a letter issued last month to renewable energy investors in the UK, in which he referred to ‘Net Stupid Zero’ as the ‘greatest act of financial self-harm ever imposed on the UK economy by fools in Westminster’, promising to ‘scrap it entirely when we win the next general election’. The UK’s oil and gas reserves are noted as the ‘treasure from under our feet’. 

So far, so Trump-like. But how seriously should we be taking this? I’d recommend with a big pinch of salt.

First, any letter that comes addressed to ‘Dear Sir/Madam’ (as that one did) does not deserve a formal reply. Unless it’s from HMRC, obviously.

Second, let’s not get carried away with what just happened. Despite the strong rhetoric, Reform’s actual power to halt renewable projects is limited. Most of the councils they now control are county councils, which primarily oversee social care, education and highways, not planning. And talk of winning the next general election is, at best, a wildly overblown claim.

While they can influence the Development Consent Order (DCO) process for major infrastructure projects, they cannot veto them. Final decisions rest with the Secretary of State, and the upcoming Planning & Infrastructure Bill will further restrict judicial reviews, one of the few remaining tools for local obstruction.

That’s not to say that the increase in Reform councillors supporting anti net zero policies won’t be felt more widely. In the longer term, the Labour party will be looking for resolutions and potential policy changes to counter the rise of Reform, and this may lead to pressure on Ed Miliband’s policy agenda from within.

That reckoning could come in 12 months’ time. In May 2026, there will be a far more significant set of elections: all 32 London Boroughs, 34 Metropolitan Councils, 56 District Councils, and 14 Unitary Councils will go to the polls, as will the devolved assemblies in Scotland and Wales. And those counties denied a vote this year due to devolution plans, will likely be back at the ballot box next year too. Squeezed by Reform on one side and the Greens/Liberal Democrats on the other, Labour will have some tough choices to make.

By then, Reform will have a track record in office, good or bad. Voters will need to decide whether the party’s local governance aligns with their national concerns - immigration, small boats, energy bills, and the NHS among them.

If Reform can maintain momentum, win at the truly local level and gain control of key services such as planning, housing and council tax (and manage them well), it might be a game changer. But for now, their influence on renewable energy remains more symbolic than structural.

In the meantime, as always, we continue to advocate engagement with local stakeholders, whichever party they represent. And in the context of renewables, it is worth noting that even under a Conservative-led Lincolnshire council that was also fundamentally opposed to DCO solar proposals and overhead pylons, projects progressed and several have been granted consent.