The Labour government faces its first major electoral test since coming to power next week as people across England vote in local elections.
Labour has been neck-and-neck in the polls recently with the Conservatives and Reform, but the Lib Dems and Greens are also doing well in some areas.
The government has championed its successes on the NHS and reining in the public finances, but many remain unhappy with the cost-of-living crisis.
Reform has also enjoyed a surge in popularity in recent months, with Nigel Farage’s small group of MPs touring the country on election stops.
But not everyone who expected to get a vote this year will do so after the government suspended local elections across the country due to their reorganisation of several local authorities.
When are the local elections?
The elections will take place on Thursday, 1 May. The polls open at 7am and close at 10pm.
Which local elections are happening in my area?
Elections are taking place in 23 councils across England.
They are in 14 county councils: Cambridgeshire, Derbyshire, Devon, Gloucestershire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire
Eight are taking place in unitary authorities, they are: Buckinghamshire, Cornwall, County Durham, North Northamptonshire, Northumberland, Shropshire, West Northamptonshire and Wiltshire.
There is also an election being held in the metropolitan district of Doncaster and council elections on the Isles of Scilly.
On top of this, six mayoral elections are taking place in some of the areas seeing local elections. Two are taking place for the first time in Greater Lincolnshire and Hull, and East Yorkshire. The other four are in the West of England, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, North Tyneside, and Doncaster.
Voters in the Runcorn and Helsby constituency will also elect a new MP on 1 May after Mike Amesbury stood down following his conviction for assault.
No elections are taking place in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Which local elections have been postponed?
This year was meant to see more elections, but earlier this year the government suspended some of them due to their reforms to local authorities.
Elections in East Sussex, West Sussex, Essex, Thurrock, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Norfolk, Suffolk and Surrey will be delayed until 2026.
This is due to the reorganisation of several types of councils, merging smaller district councils with larger local county councils to create single unitary authorities.
How do I register to vote
You must be 18 years old or older to vote. Up to 12 working days before polling day, you can register to vote by going to this link.
You will need your national insurance number and to live at a UK address. If you live abroad, you will need the postcode of the last UK address you were registered to vote at.
You do not have to re-register ahead of each election, although you should register again if you have moved house.
You can also check here to see what constituency you are in.
