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They will also be an important test for Nigel Farage and Reform UK to see if their high poll ratings since last summer translate into real votes.
The Tories are also set for a difficult day defending more than 900 council seats across the country while lagging behind both Labour and Reform in most polls.
A key test for all parties will be in the six mayoral contests for the West of England, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, North Tyneside, Doncaster, Greater Lincolnshire, and Hull and East Yorkshire.
And maybe the biggest test of all will be the Runcorn and Helsby by-election, called because of the departure of former Labour MP Mike Amesbury after his conviction for assault.
Polls will be open from 7am until 10pm.
Who is eligible to vote?
In order to vote in local elections in England, people must be:
- Registered to vote
- Aged 18 or over on the day of the election
- Registered at an address in the area you want to vote in
- Not legally excluded from voting
Andy Gregory1 May 2025 11:57
Dogs at polling stations tradition in good health
The age-old tradition of dogs at polling stations shows no sign of abating today. Here are some of the latest pictures:
Andy Gregory1 May 2025 11:31
Analysis | How a win for Reform could reshape the political landscape
In an analysis piece for The Independent, Hannah Bunting, director of the University of Exeter’s Elections Centre, writes:
These elections in 23 English local authorities are about selecting the representatives that will serve communities, both in day-to-day essential operations, and during council reorganisations amid plans for decentralisation of British democracy.
Yet attention is also being paid to the challenge Reform have set themselves – can they continue the transition from anti-establishment outsiders to a winning party engine?
There are 1,641 local councillor vacancies up for election this week, in 1,401 wards. Reform are contesting more seats than any other party. In fact, there’s only a handful without their candidate on the ballot, amounting to 99.3 per cent coverage.
This is a major step forward for the party. Ukip contested 80 per cent of this set of seats near the height of its popularity 12 years ago.
Read more analysis here:
Andy Gregory1 May 2025 10:39
Ask our chief political commentator John Rentoul anything in exclusive Q&A
With dozens of councils, mayoralties and a high-stakes parliamentary by-election in Runcorn and Helsby up for grabs, the results could reshape the political map in ways that will reverberate far beyond Thursday night.
So, which seats really matter? How much trouble are the Tories in? Can Reform turn headlines into votes? And how fragile is Labour’s new electoral coalition?
Join The Independent’s chief political commentator John Rentoul live at midday tomorrow as he answers your questions on all the key contests, party strategies, and what the results tell us about Britain’s fast-changing political landscape:
Andy Gregory1 May 2025 10:13
Watch: Starmer and Badenoch clash on eve of elections
Andy Gregory1 May 2025 09:47
When were these council seats last elected?
Most of the seats were last contested in May 2021, at a time when the then-Conservative government, led by former prime minister Boris Johnson, was enjoying a spike in popularity following the successful roll-out of the first Covid-19 vaccines.
At the 2021 local elections the Tories made a number of gains while Labour and the Liberal Democrats, both of whom had recently elected new leaders – Sir Keir Starmer and Sir Ed Davey respectively – fared less well.
As a result, the Conservatives held more than half of seats across the 23 local authorities, as of 31 March, while Labour held 17 per cent, the Lib Dems held 13 per cent, and Reform held just 1 per cent.
Andy Gregory1 May 2025 09:22
Badenoch insists Tories deliver ‘better services for lower taxes’
In her final message to voters, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said: “If you want a great council, don't just hope for it, vote for it.
“Vote Conservative because Conservative councils deliver better services for lower taxes across the board.”
Andy Gregory1 May 2025 08:58
Pictured: Polling stations open across the country
Here are the scenes as polling stations open across the country:
Andy Gregory1 May 2025 08:41
What will happen when polls close at 10pm?
When polls close in England at 10pm on Thursday, most councils will not begin counting the results of the local and mayoral elections until the following day – though a handful of key declarations are due overnight.
At 10pm, counting will begin in the Runcorn & Helsby by-election and in four of the six mayoral contests: Doncaster, Greater Lincolnshire, North Tyneside and West of England.
Four of the 23 local authorities holding elections will also start counting at 10pm: Hertfordshire, Lincolnshire, Northumberland and Staffordshire.
Only one, Northumberland, is due to report all its results overnight; the other three will announce some results overnight, with the rest of the seats being declared later on Friday.
Read this hour-by-hour guide of what to expect:
Andy Gregory1 May 2025 08:28
Labour insists government’s plan ‘already starting to deliver’
In a final message to voters ahead of the polls opening at 7am, Labour Party chair Ellie Reeves insisted the government's plan was “already starting to deliver”.
She said: “As voters head to the polls today, there's a clear choice between Labour with a plan for change to deliver the security working people deserve and renewal for our country, or more of the same chaos voters rejected last year with the Tories and Reform.”
Andy Gregory1 May 2025 08:14
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