The 2 May local elections will have more than 2,600 seats are at stake across 107 English councils. Labour’s Sadiq Khan and Andy Burnham are among the 10 city mayors up for re-election.
Those in Blackpool South will also be voting for their next MP after ex-Tory Scott Benton broke Commons lobbying rules, triggering a by-election.
With the Conservatives lagging behind Labour in the polls, the outcome will offer some insight on how voters in England and Wales feel ahead of the general election.
On the Sky News Daily, Niall Paterson is joined by Sky’s deputy political editor Sam Coates to discuss why the elections are so important for the prime minister’s future and where the key political backgrounds are.
Producers: Emma Rae Woodhouse and Soila Apparicio
Podcast promotions producer: Iona Brunker
Editor: Paul Stanworth