Lib Dems to table motion to dock Steve Reed and Lord Hermer’s pay over local elections “fiasco”

EMBARGO: Immediate Release

The Liberal Democrats will table a motion in Parliament to dock Steve Reed and Lord Hermer’s pay over the local elections fiasco, saying he should pay for the Government’s legal bill, instead of forcing taxpayers to pick up the tab.

The Early Day Motion, set to be tabled when Parliament returns next week, will say if Steve Reed refuses to resign he should forgo his ministerial salary until the legal bill is paid off. It also calls for the Attorney General Lord Hermer, who provided the legal advice which led to the Government pushing forward with delays, to forgo his salary.

The Government has been forced to pay Reform’s legal bill, at the taxpayers' expense, which is reported to run into six figures.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Attorney General, Ben Maguire MP said:

“Steve Reed’s handling of this May’s crucial local elections has been completely disastrous from the get go. Ministers should never have been allowed to deny millions of Brits their democratic right to vote on a whim, and the buck stops with him.

“He should now do the right thing and resign for presiding over this local elections fiasco. At the very least, he and Lord Hermer, whose legal advice led to this decision, should pay out of their own pocket instead of asking taxpayers to pick up the tab for the government’s legal costs.

“Liberal Democrats have fought every step of the way to make sure these elections go ahead, and those who stood in the way of democracy should be held accountable.”

ENDS

Notes to Editor:

Draft EDM:

“That this House censures the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government for his handling of the Local Elections in May 2026, and the Attorney General Lord Hermer for providing the Government with legal advice which has resulted in the expenditure of taxpayers’ money; and believes that if the Secretary of State refuses to resign, he as well as the Attorney General should forgo their Ministerial salaries to pay for the Government’s costs for the legal challenge against their plans to delay Local Elections in May.”