What local elections mean for the Westminster power balance

Voters have first chance to pass judgement on the government’s handling of Covid pandemic

A polling station
(Image credit: Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

Janice Morphet, visiting professor at University College London Bartlett School of Planning Faculty of the Built Environment, on how the coronavirus crisis may affect outcome of upcoming local elections.

One of the key concerns about local elections is always their low turnout, unless there is a very specific community issue of concern, such as a hospital closure. This apparent lack of interest, by the electorate, in voting for politicians to run their councils has always been used by governments to undermine the relevance of local politicians when the latter make representations against national policies that directly affect them - planning, housing and major transport schemes.

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