A POTENTIAL delay for the election of a Suffolk and Norfolk mayor has been branded as a 'sorry mess' by candidates.

Caroline Topping, the Green candidate for the position, said reports of mayoral elections being delayed in Suffolk and Norfolk were not sitting well with hopefuls.

"This whole process of creating mayors was forced onto the country, with the Government saying it would help communities — now, at the last minute, they suddenly throw all that out of the window."

Her comments follow reports about mayoral elections being delayed until 2028 — in certain areas, including Norfolk and Suffolk, they were due to take place in May next year.

Other areas include Greater Essex, Hampshire and the Solent, and Sussex and Brighton.

According to several reports, the delays are due to the Government wanting areas to focus on delivering local government reorganisation — where county, district and borough councils are being scrapped and replaced by new unitary authorities.

Several candidates have said the decision was due to Labour being afraid of facing the polls.

David Beavan, an Independent candidate, said: "It's really sad that we can't just get long-term planning in the east – it's just turkeys voting for Christmas.

"They know that they will lose a lot of seats so the less elections they have, the better.

"The people who lose are those in the east."

Kevin Keable, the Lib Dem candidate, said: "The Government's decision to delay Norfolk and Suffolk's first mayoral elections by two years is unacceptable and doesn't do much for trust.

"What people want is simple: stability, opportunity and the chance to choose who leads them. Taking that choice away for two more years only deepens the frustration many already feel.

"Our region has huge potential, and we shouldn't be left waiting while others move ahead. "

David Bick, the Reform candidate, dubbed it an 'authoritarian move' from a Government 'petrified' of the party gaining mayoral seats.

He said: "They can't beat us at the ballot box, so they resort to depriving local people in Norfolk and Suffolk of their votes.

"Residents in Norfolk and Suffolk will rightly be furious that they will have to wait at least two more years for a strong local representative to drive investment into this region.

"The more we wait, the further we'll fall behind."

Ms Topping added: "They're running scared of the opinion polls. They've seen the rise in support for the Green Party and Reform, and they are afraid they will lose control.

"It's a joke. A shambles and a sorry mess. It highlights why we need real devolution where decisions about local issues are made locally, rather than being taken by panicked politicians in Whitehall."

Tim Passmore, the Conservative candidate, said the Government's decision was unforgivable, stressing the need for the money from the mayor's budget.

"The Government has pulled the rug from under our feet — this is no way to run a country," he said.

"We are being left short-changed yet again. People in our area do not like to take things like this lying down."

The Labour candidate has been approached for comment.

The joint mayor for Suffolk and Norfolk is due to get more than £1 billion in Government funding over 30 years.

The elected mayor would have new devolved powers over transport, skills, strategic planning and public safety.