, Columnist
This Time U.K. Local Elections Really Matter
The Tories are expected to lose, but the margin will say much about Labour’s chances in a general election.
Will he hit his target in the local elections?
Photographer: Anthony Devlin/Getty Images EuropeThis article is for subscribers only.
Voters in many towns and cities around the U.K. go to the polls Thursday to elect representatives to their local councils. Normally, these local elections are of limited interest to outsiders. They are even of limited interest to most U.K. voters, with turnouts typically around half those seen at general elections.
This time, however, the elections are about more than who is in charge of pub licensing or trash collection. With Prime Minister Theresa May under pressure following the delay to Brexit, those results — and how they are spun — are far more significant than usual.