Voters go to the polls on Thursday, May 5, for a series of crucial local elections. They could spell doom for beleaguered Boris Johnson or prolong his tenure as Prime Minister if they go better than expected for the Conservatives.
Votes are being held in five areas in Tyne and Wear - Newcastle, Gateshead, North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Sunderland.
All of those Labour-run councils hold their elections on a rolling basis, with only a third of their seats up being contested each time – one in each ward, plus any other vacancies that have arisen if councillors have resigned before the end of their term.
