Angela Rayner slammed Reform UK today after one of its MPs compared the government to “dictators” for cancelling local elections.

The deputy PM and housing secretary responded by pointing out that Reform’s Nigel Farage is the only leader in the Commons who was not elected by his party members.

Deputy leader Richard Tice began his attack on Rayner by saying: “Dictators cancel elections, not democracy. Dictators.”

He claimed: “Five point five million voters in southern England are being denied the right to pass judgement on the performance of their councillors over the last four years.”

Voters in nine council areas were expected to go to the polls in May, but the elections have been postponed for a year due to a shake-up of local government in England.

Alluding to Reform’s recent surge in popularity, Tice claimed the government had cancelled elections “in areas where Reform UK are expected to do rather well”.

He added: “In cancelling these elections, the secretary of state has admitted she doesn’t know what will replace them.”

But Rayner hit back: “Kindly, when the member talks about dictators, it’s the Reform leader [Nigel Farage] who hasn’t faced any elections to get to his leadership position.”

She added: “We’re not cancelling elections. I’ve been really clear on the rationale, it’s not something unique, it’s not been done before, it’s for reorganisation, it’s for devolution, so people will get more powers from this government, which is what we promised through this manifesto.

“I’ve got a very strict and narrow guidance on why I allowed those areas to delay their elections, and I’m confident they will be able to deliver.”