Reform UK Party Limited -v- Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government

Administrative CourtHigh CourtKing's Bench DivisionTransmission Direction Order

Claim number: AC-2026-LON-000195

In the High Court of Justice
King’s Bench Division
Administrative Court

16 January 2026

Before:

The Hon Mr Justice Chamberlain

Between:

The King on the application of
Reform UK Party Limited

-v-

Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government

Order

On an application by the Claimant for urgent consideration, interim relief and directions for expedition

Following consideration of the documents lodged by the Claimant

ORDER BY THE HON. MR JUSTICE CHAMBERLAIN

  1. Interim relief and directions hearing:
    (a) The application for interim relief and directions for expedition is to be determined after a hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice at 12 noon on Tuesday 20 January 2026.
    (b) The time estimate for the hearing is 2 hours. If either party considers that more time should be allowed, they must inform the Court immediately.
    (c) By 4pm on Monday 19 January 2026:
    (i) the parties may file skeleton arguments (not exceeding 10 pages in length);
    (ii) the Defendant may file an electronic bundle (prepared in accordance with §21.4 of the Administrative Court Judicial Review Guide) containing any additional material upon which it wishes to rely which is not in the bundle filed by the Claimant on 16 January 2026;
    (iii) the parties must each file an electronic bundle containing any authorities which the Court needs to read at the hearing (prepared in accordance with §22.1.2 of the Administrative Court Judicial Review Guide).
  2. Transmission direction requests:
    (a) Any request for a direction under s. 85A(3)(b) of the Courts Act 2003 (“a transmission direction request”) by a person not taking part in the proceedings (“an applicant”) for permission to watch or listen to the proceedings remotely must be made by 9am on Tuesday 20 January 2026.
    (b) Any transmission direction request should be sent by email to Danielle.Jarvis@justice.gov.uk and must include the following:
    (i) the full name of the applicant;
    (ii) the email address of the applicant;
    (iii) 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;
    (iv) 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; and
    (v) a statement by the applicant in the following terms:
    “If permitted to attend the hearing remotely, I understand that I must not record or transmit what I see and hear. I understand that it is an offence and may be a contempt of court to do so, and that I may be punished if I were to do so.”
  3. Both parties have liberty to apply to vary or discharge these directions.

Reasons

(1) This claim was referred to me for directions upon issue, although at the time of making this order no compliant bundle had yet been received.
(2) The decision challenged is described on the Claim Form as “a proposal, made on 18 December 2025, to postpone (or cancel) an unspecified number of local council elections that are statutorily due to occur on 7 May 2026, and any such orders as may be made by the Defendant purporting to postpone or cancel any such election”.
(3) The Claimant seeks interim relief in the form of an interim order prohibiting the Defendant from making any statutory orders which would change the date of the forthcoming elections. This relief is said to be justified because, if such statutory orders were made, they would have the likely effect of discouraging candidates from coming forward and/or participating, stymie the selection of candidates and undermine the conduct of local election campaigns. The Claimant invites the Court to consider the application for interim relief on the papers by Monday 19 January 2026 and also seeks directions for an expedited determination of the claim in advance of 27 March 2026, the date by which notice of the elections must be given.
(4) In my judgment, the application for interim relief is not suitable for determination on the papers. On the Claimant’s own case, the interim relief sought may affect candidates and potential candidates in many local authority areas across England. The Court will wish to be as informed as possible about the arguments for and against interim relief before determining the application. Given the asserted need to determine the application quickly, the fairest way to determine it is at a hearing, on notice to both parties.
(5) Although the timetable will involve consideration of the interim relief application on Tuesday 20 January 2026 rather than Monday 19 January 2026, it will still allow a properly expedited consideration of that application. The timetable will be tight but should be manageable.
(6) The Court will wish to give directions at the hearing for the conduct of the claim. The parties should be aware that, when setting directions, the Court will have in mind not only the interests of the Claimant and Defendant, but also the interests of others (including candidates and potential candidates and other political parties). They will need to know as soon as possible whether the elections are going ahead. The Court will wish to consider whether the public interest requires that the issues in the claim be determined finally on a considerably tighter timetable than suggested by the Claimant.