The Conservative Party, led by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, aims to showcase successes, particularly in key mayoral races, to quell speculation about a leadership change before the general election, which might occur as early as next month.

In contrast, Labour Party leader Keir Starmer hopes the local elections will validate the party's position as the frontrunner, based on two years of consistent polling data indicating a Labour victory in the upcoming general election.

According to Rob Ford, a politics professor at the University of Manchester, the national context favors Labour and disfavors the Conservatives.

On Thursday, May 5, voters in England and Wales will participate in local, mayoral, and police and crime commissioner elections.

The Conservatives, who are contesting around 1,000 seats, are widely expected to lose around half of them.

However, they have pointed out that the previous elections were held in 2021 when the government was popular due to the coronavirus vaccine rollout.

These elections are significant as they determine who will manage various aspects of daily life, such as bin collections, road maintenance, and local crime prevention measures, for the coming years.

Additionally, they will be viewed through a national lens due to the upcoming general election.

The text is about the upcoming local elections in the UK, which include mayoral votes, elections for local councils and police commissioners, and a special parliamentary election in Blackpool South.

The results will be announced in the coming days.

Prime Minister Sunak, who has the power to decide on the general election date, has indicated it will be in the second half of 2024.

The outcome of these elections could impact Sunak's job security, as he replaced Liz Truss after her resignation following a controversial budget that caused financial instability.

No elections are taking place in Scotland or Northern Ireland.

Rishi Sunak, the UK's new Prime Minister in October 2022, has faced challenges in improving the Conservative Party's ratings, which were already low due to the ethics scandals surrounding Boris Johnson's ousting.

Sunak's economic concerns about Kwasi Truss' plan have not helped his cause.

The upcoming mayoral elections in the West Midlands and Tees Valley are crucial for Sunak's survival, as losses could lead to a leadership battle.

Historically, Labour faces a significant challenge in forming the next government.

The Labour Party had its worst performance in 2019 since 1935.

Under new leader Keir Starmer, the party is attempting to return to the center of British politics after the five-year tenure of left-winger Jeremy Corbyn.

Starmer's cautious approach has shown improvement in opinion polls, but enthusiasm levels are lower compared to the arrival of Tony Blair in 1997.

The economic climate may be a factor, as well as Starmer's lack of charisma as a former human rights lawyer.

Starmer aims for Labour to regain lost seats in the north of England and the Midlands.

A concern for Starmer is the potential for low voter turnout among traditionally Labour-supporting Muslim communities in protest of the party's stance on the conflict in Gaza.

Blair's landslide victory in 1997 was partly due to tactical voting, where some voters chose to support the party most likely to defeat the Conservative candidate instead of their preferred party.

This trend has resurfaced and could impact the upcoming general election, with Labour supporters in southwest England and Liberal Democrats in the Midlands and the north of England potentially engaging in tactical voting.

Meanwhile, the Conservatives also face a challenge from Reform UK, which could draw support from the right and allow Labour and other parties to gain ground.

Reform UK, a party previously known as The Brexit Party, will not step aside in the upcoming general election to help Conservative incumbents, unlike they did in 2019.

The Blackpool South special election will be noteworthy as Reform UK may field candidates in areas where Conservatives are running, making the race more competitive.