The Channel migrant crisis has infuriated voters (Image: Getty)

This compares to a much smaller increase of 184% across all of England, and 177% across the entire UK.

Reform UK, which had been hoping to make huge gains in the local elections, seized on the findings, accusing councils of “arrogant cowardice”.

Rupert Lowe has slammed the cancellation of local votes (Image: Getty)

“We need a zero-tolerance approach. Nobody here illegally stays, nobody who comes illegally stays. Detain, and deport – with no questions asked. This is what local voters want.”

In Essex, the number of asylum seekers receiving support has increased from 307 in December 2021 to 2,186 last year – a staggering 712% increase.

In West Sussex, the number receiving taxpayer support has soared from 311 to 1,432, or 460%.

Warwickshire has also seen a 401% increase and Norfolk 307%.

The councils have agreed to ask to be part of the government’s priority programme for devolution, which would mean they could ask to put off county elections for a year.

Robert Bates, Research Director at the Centre for Migration Control said: “Immigration is the most important issue for voters across the country.

“It is unconscionable that politicians should look to avoid the justifiable wrath that they are set to face in May’s elections and are hiding behind obscure rule-changes to avoid accountability.

“Voters in these areas have been unable to avoid the consequences of the disastrous decisions taken by both the Conservative and Labour governments.

“Over the last four years they have seen large numbers of undocumented males housed in their towns and undermining their quality of life – they deserve a chance to pass judgment on the chronic failures of politicians at both a national and local level.”

A West Sussex County Council spokesperson said: “The decision to defer local elections in West Sussex due in May this year is one the government will make.

“One of the reasons is that there appears insufficient time to run the public consultation on devolution plans ahead of the pre-election period.

“Should the government decide to postpone local elections in 2025, Mayoral elections would still take place in 2026, unlocking significant benefits for our region sooner rather than later.

“Holding local elections a year earlier will come at a cost, raising the question whether this represents good use of public money, and will stall the journey to a Mayoral Combined Authority with the additional local powers it would bring that are much needed within the region.”

Local Election Cancellations Spark Fury as Shocking Migration Numbers Emerge

Britain’s debate over immigration and democratic accountability has become increasingly contentious, with local elections, migration statistics and public confidence in government all drawing intense attention. For critics of the government, the combination raises an uncomfortable question: how can ministers maintain public trust when communities are demanding answers on both who enters the country and how their local representatives are chosen?

The issues are connected in political debate, but they are not identical. Decisions about the timing of local elections concern democratic representation and the law, while migration figures require careful examination of the categories being counted, the period covered and the distinction between legal and irregular migration.

For voters already frustrated with Westminster, however, the two subjects can reinforce a broader feeling that decisions affecting their communities are being made without sufficient consultation.

Why election delays have become so controversial

Local elections are an essential part of democratic accountability. They give residents the opportunity to assess councillors’ records, challenge decisions about local services and choose the people who will represent their interests.

When elections are postponed, even for administrative or structural reasons, the decision can become politically explosive. Residents may ask why they should have to wait to vote, particularly if they believe their councils have failed to deliver on housing, transport, social care or other local priorities.

The controversy surrounding planned election postponements in England has also highlighted a difficult question about the balance between local-government reorganisation and the right of voters to choose their representatives on schedule.

Supporters of reorganising local government can argue that changing council structures requires careful preparation, clear responsibilities and an orderly transition. Critics counter that administrative convenience should not automatically outweigh the democratic principle that elected representatives must face voters at the expected time.

The strength of either argument depends on the specific circumstances: the legal authority for a postponement, the reasons given, the length of the delay and the safeguards available to residents.

That is why the details matter. A claim that elections have been cancelled across the country should not be confused with a decision affecting particular councils or electoral areas. Nor should a postponed election automatically be described as the permanent removal of the public’s right to vote.

Nevertheless, any delay requires a clear explanation. Residents deserve to know which elections are affected, why the timetable has changed and when they will next have an opportunity to cast their ballots.

Migration figures put pressure on the political debate

Immigration remains one of the most prominent issues in British politics, with debate spanning legal migration, asylum applications, irregular Channel crossings, work visas and the number of people leaving the country.

These categories measure different things. Net migration, for example, is the difference between people arriving for long-term residence and people departing over a given period. It is not a count of people entering Britain illegally. Channel-crossing figures, meanwhile, record a specific form of irregular arrival and do not represent the entirety of migration to the UK.

Failing to distinguish between these measures can create a misleading picture of what is happening.

Large numbers can understandably attract attention, particularly when public services and housing are under pressure. But meaningful analysis requires more than a headline figure. The relevant questions include whether the number is rising or falling, how it compares with previous years, what proportion relates to different immigration routes and how government policy may have influenced the trend.

The same care is necessary when discussing asylum. An arrival, an asylum application, a decision on an application and a removal from the country are separate events. Treating them as interchangeable can obscure whether a policy is achieving its stated objective.

For the government, the challenge is to publish reliable information and explain what the figures mean. For opposition parties, the challenge is to scrutinise that information without presenting different categories as though they were one measure.

Voters should be able to judge both the scale of migration and the effectiveness of the policies intended to manage it.

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