Next week's local elections in England will be the first big electoral test for British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The opposition Labour Party is hoping to take advantage

of the chaos and scandals that have plagued the Conservative Party in the past year, ahead of a national election expected in 2024.

Although Sunak has made efforts to restore credibility to the party since coming into office last October, he has struggled to distance himself from the troubles that plagued his predecessors. Labour is hoping to prove their electoral credentials in the face of a cost-of-living crisis and high inflation, with Swindon in southwest England being a key target.

The town has consistently voted for the winning party at every national election since 1983, making it a bellwether for Labour to regain power. However, local council elections can often result in protest votes and be swayed by local factors. Sunak's personal poll ratings have not been toxic, but he will have to deliver on issues such as the cost of living to improve his party's ratings ahead of the next national election. Photo by HM Treasury, Wikimedia commons.