10 May 2002
Pro-mayor group the New Local Government Network said rumours that ministers were undergoing a change of heart over mayors were 'absolute nonsense'.
'We see it as business as usual,' said a spokesman for the NLGN. 'We haven't been given any signal that there has been a change of heart on this by senior ministers.'
The Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions also said it was unaware of any plans to delay elections, although two major votes, in Birmingham and Bradford, have yet to be scheduled.
Government intervention to force referendums in both cities has long been expected but ministers have delayed a decision while an electoral commission looks into the issue.
The three seats won by the British National Party at last week's elections plus the election of some independent candidates led to speculation that changes would be made to election rules. This has been given credence because different ministers appear to be saying different things.
Labour Party chair Charles Clarke has hinted that the government may look into changing the rules while local government minister Nick Raynsford said there would be no policy shift.
However, the NLGN said that if ministers backed away from mayors because of the far-Right they would then be seen to be 'running scared'.
Privately some feel that officials close to Transport Secretary Stephen Byers, thought to be anti-mayor, were responsible for fuelling speculation that a governmental change of heart was on the way.
PFmay2002
