What do the May elections mean?

In just over a month, 146 councils will hold local elections, with over 4,300 seats up for grabs. The results will inevitably be seen as a verdict on Boris Johnson’s leadership; a litmus test on how the country is feeling about the Government. On the one hand, the pandemic restrictions have lifted and the PM has shown leadership over the Russian invasion of Ukraine, on the other we are at the start of a cost-of-living crisis and party-gate is back on the agenda.

But should we read that much into the results, do they actually tell us anything about what might happen at the general election? And what’s really on the electorate’s mind?

Reform was delighted to host James Kanagasooriam, the pollster and strategist who coined the phrase ‘Red Wall’, to share his thoughts and insights on the May results.

This roundtable was held under the Chatham House Rule.