Overview

• Kemi Badenoch has predicted that the Conservatives could lose nearly all councils won during the 2021 'vaccine bounce' local elections.
• Nigel Farage's Reform UK is emerging as a significant challenger, with 29 councillors defecting to the party from other political groups.
• Badenoch has urged voters to focus on local issues like bin collections and potholes, warning against using the elections as a protest vote.
• The Conservative leader has criticized Reform UK as lacking governance experience and dismissed protest voting as a risky choice for local services.
• The May 1 elections will test shifting political dynamics, with the Conservatives facing pressure from Reform UK, Liberal Democrats, and other opposition parties.