The UK government has scrapped plans to postpone local elections in Lancashire, forcing seven councils to hold polls in May that they had not expected. This follows a legal threat from Reform UK. The counties involved are Burnley, Blackburn, Hyndburn, Pendle, Chorley, West Lancashire, and Preston, affecting nearly 790,000 people. Lancashire will now have more unexpected elections than any other county, with a total of 30 local authorities nationally facing unplanned polls. Reform UK controls the Lancashire county council after winning 53 of 84 seats last year, leaving Labour with just four councillors. Some Labour figures fear the party will be "annihilated" in the upcoming elections. A senior Labour insider said, "we are going to get annihilated in East Lancs" and predicted a "100% Reform" clean sweep of new unitary authorities. Councillors expressed surprise about the government's U-turn, especially as Lancashire county council had earlier offered to postpone elections amid local government reorganization plans. One senior councillor said, "It will now cost the taxpayer millions of pounds in elections which in most cases will be for a year." Despite this, they acknowledged the decision was based on "new information and legal advice" and said, "democracies have no price." Some council leaders, though disappointed, accept the government's call. Chorley council leader Alistair Bradley said, "We recognise it is a government decision, and will prepare for an election in May as directed." Preston council leader Matthew Brown added, "The government’s U-turn was unexpected, but we actually quite relish the fight now." Labour faces challenges beyond election costs. Afrasiab Anwar, former Burnley council leader, criticized the government for "complete chaos" and called for the legal advice behind the decision to be published, citing voting rights. In Pendle, Labour has lost all councillors over party disputes, and Lib Dem leader David Whipp warned the government move may deepen "disillusionment and disenfranchisement." All seven councils holding elections in May are scheduled for abolition in 2028. They will be replaced by larger authorities, combining the current 14 councils into between two and five new bodies. The government is expected to announce details of this reorganisation by July.