From Tyneside to London: five key battlegrounds in England’s 2 May local elections

Results in the local elections on 2 May could further destabilise Rishi Sunak’s premiership ahead of the general election. Photograph: Peter Byrne/PA

On 4 May, Rishi Sunak faces a set of local elections that risk further destabilising his premiership and emboldening his critics. Here are five contests that will reveal how the main parties are shaping up, just months before a general election.

London mayor