Great Britain: May 2 Local Elections, Maxi Poll Ahead of Political Election

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in January 2024 that general elections would be held within a year. Meanwhile, local elections are scheduled for May 2, representing a massive vote for the most important national event.

Britons are being asked to choose more than 2600 city and provincial councilors and 10 mayors in 107 of 317 local authorities, including the mayor of London and mayors of a dozen other major cities. 37 commissioners overseeing the police will also be elected. Blackpool will also hold a parliamentary by-election following the resignation of former Conservative MP Scott Benton.

Sunak is well aware that tomorrow’s vote is crucial. The Conservatives need to win back votes: they are 20 points behind Labor in the polls.

“The importance of this local poll for the UK is that it comes very close to the general election, which could be in four, five, six months’ time or even in autumn, meaning that voters will look at the result as a barometer to see what is happening in the various parties: the Conservatives, Labor, Liberal Democrats, Greens, and the far-right Reform formation and what direction public opinion is heading,” explained to SIR News Agency Tony Travers, professor of politics at the London School of Economics. The loss of the Tories’ position vis-à-vis Labor and the Social Democrats seems clear: while the Conservatives hope to limit the damage, Labor seeks to maintain momentum ahead of the next election.