Reform Party UK Limited -v- Housing Secretary

Administrative CourtHigh CourtKing's Bench DivisionOrderTransmission Direction Order

Claim number: AC-2026-LON-000195

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE
KINGS BENCH DIVISION
Administrative Court

13 February 2026

Before:

Lord Justice Dingemans, Senior President of Tribunals
Mr Justice Kimblin

Between:

R (on the application of THE REFORM UK PARTY LIMITED)

-v-

SECRETARY OF STATE FOR HOUSING, COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL
GOVERNMENT

Order

UPON the Rolled-up hearing of this claim having been fixed for Thursday 19 February and Friday 20 February 2026

AND UPON the Court anticipating that persons not taking part in the proceedings are likely to wish to observe the hearing remotely and to request a transmission direction to enable them to do so

WITHOUT A HEARING and of the court’s own initiative

IT IS ORDERED that:

  1. Any request by a person not taking part in the proceedings (“an applicant”) for a direction under s.85A(3)(b) Courts Act 2003 for permission to watch or listen to the Pre-Trial Hearing remotely (“a transmission direction request”) must be made (in accordance with Paragraph 2 below) by 4 pm on Tuesday 17 February 2026.
  2. Any transmission direction request must be sent to
    administrativecourtoffice.listoffice@justice.gov.uk and must include the following:
    a. the full name of the applicant;
    b. the email address of the applicant;
    c. whether the applicant will be located within the jurisdiction of England and Wales at all times when attending the proceedings remotely (if a transmission direction were to be made); and, if not, details of the applicant’s location;
    d. any information the applicant wishes to provide in support of the request, including in particular any reason(s) why it is contended that making such a direction would be in the interests of justice;
    e. a statement by the applicant in the following terms:
    “I agree and undertake to the Court that, if permitted to observe the appeal remotely, I will not make a recording, capture images, and/or broadcast any part of the proceedings. I understand that to do so may be an offence and/or contempt of court, punishable by imprisonment and/or a fine. I will abide by any directions given to me by the Court. I agree and undertake to the Court that I will not provide any other person with the link that I am given to access the appeal hearing.”
  3. A transmission direction request that is not made by the deadline imposed by Paragraph 1 of this Order and/or does not comply with Paragraph 2 of this Order may be refused.
  4. Any transmission direction request made otherwise than in accordance with the directions in Paragraphs 1 and 2 must be made by way of Application Notice.

Reasons

(A) The claimant is a political party registered with the Electoral Commission. The defendant is the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.
(B) By a letter dated 18 December 2025, the defendant contacted 63 local authorities, in which areas there are approximately 10 million voters, saying that they could ask for their elections to be postponed on the basis of capacity.
(C) The claimant contends that the Representation of the People Act 1983 requires the local government elections to be held, and claims that the elections cannot be lawfully postponed. The defendant relies on the Local Government Act 2000 as providing a statutory dispensing power in respect of local government elections.
(D) On 20 January 2026, Mr Justice Chamberlain directed a “rolled-up” hearing before a Divisional Court on 19 February 2026, with a time estimate of two days, of the claimants application of judicial review of the defendants (prospective) decision to postpone or cancel, local elections in England, which are statutorily scheduled for the first Thursday in May 2026.
(E) The Court anticipates there is likely to be interest from media representatives and members of the public in observing the appeal remotely. To manage the process, we have taken the initiative to set out a straightforward procedure whereby anyone who wishes to do so can make a transmission direction request.
(F) The Court will not normally grant a transmission direction request in respect of an applicant who will not be in England & Wales during the hearing. Anyone making a transmission direction request who will not be in England & Wales should provide information (pursuant to paragraph 2(d) above) as to why it would nevertheless be in the interests of justice to make a transmission direction order in his/her case.
(G) Late requests, because they cause disruption to the Court’s work and utilise a disproportionate amount of the Court’s limited resources are likely to be refused, unless there are good reasons why the applicant was unable to comply with the Court’s directions