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Everyone in England and Wales will have some sort of vote to cast on 2 May, with elections for local councillors, mayors, police and crime commissioners – and even one MP – taking place.

See what’s happening in your area with our postcode lookup:

Council elections

There are more than 2,600 council seats up for grabs in 107 council elections.

More than half of the elections are in district councils – which look after services such as bin collections, parks and planning – leaving county councils to fulfil the remaining responsibilities including road maintenance and schools.

There are seats up in 31 metropolitan boroughs. They look after a similar range of services to district councils in metropolitan counties, such as Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield in the metropolitan counties of Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire.

There are also elections in 18 unitary authorities, for example Dorset and Bristol. Unitaries cover all council services that district and county councils do together.

Here’s where the council elections are and who’s defending what. Click on the drop-down to see where the different types of each council are:

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Labour and the Conservatives are defending a similar amount of council seats this time around – 985 Tory seats to Labour’s 965. But Labour are defending council control in more areas – 45 versus just 18 Conservative-held areas.

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What happened last time?

The last time these seats were voted for in 2021 – after a delay of a year due to COVID – there were 248 Conservative gains and 264 Labour losses. The Greens added 47 councillors while the Lib Dems and Others/Independents lost a handful each.

There were also gains for the SNP in Scotland and Labour in Wales in devolved parliament elections that aren’t up for grabs this year, suggesting that the parties managing their nations’ COVID response were rewarded at the polls.

The Conservatives also won a by-election in Hartlepool, which had been held by Labour since 1974, on the same day.

It was just the third time since the Second World War that a governing party had gained a seat in a by-election and the 16-point swing was the largest a governing party has ever secured.

That was Sir Keir Starmer’s first by-election as Labour leader. Since then the party have made seven gains at by-elections and risen to a 20-point lead in the polls.

So Labour will be hoping to translate that change in popularity to electoral success and regain a few of those councils they lost

It would consolidate on their council election gains from last year that made them the biggest party of local government for the first time in more than 20 years.

Mayoral elections

Voters in England will also choose 10 metro mayors next month, including in the East Midlands, North East and York and North Yorkshire for the first time.

There will be a mayoral election in London, currently held by Labour with Sadiq Khan, where voters will also have a chance to select 25 London Assembly members representing 14 constituencies.

In terms of mayors, the Conservatives currently hold Tees Valley and the West Midlands, through Ben Houchen and Andy Street respectively. Labour hold South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester and the Liverpool City Region.

The 10 mayors will represent almost half of the population of England.

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It will be the first time since the introduction of these mayors in 2017 (London has had a mayor since 2000) that the voting system has changed to First Past the Post – the same system used for most other elections in the UK.

Previously there was a system that allowed second preference votes which would be reallocated to the two leading candidates after a first round of counting.

There is also a directly elected local mayor in Salford council.

What does this all mean for Rishi Sunak?



Sam Coates

Deputy political editor

@SamCoatesSky

Anticipating the political reaction to the 2 May elections is art not science.

Unseating Tory Ben Houchen would take a bigger swing than national polls – but not that much bigger.

Yet because of the current expectations of MPs and the various party HQs, the fall of the Tees Valley mayor would be a seismic symbolic shock to the political system.

No 10 is desperate put a Houchen re-election at the centre of a fightback narrative after 2 May, to shore up the PM’s position despite the wipeout-esque polls and fears of a vote of no confidence. But will it be enough?

The patchwork of results does not help the Tories – and nor does Sky’s Michael Thrasher annual benchmarking.

The Sky election analyst has said 500 losses would put the Tories on a par with the disaster they saw last year.

Coupled with losing Andy Street in the West Midlands and the Blackpool South by-election, may not be psephologically coherent on behalf of MPs – but would trigger unrest. Losing Houchen would trigger panic.

If 52 letters of no confidence are then submitted to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 committee, Sunak would be subject to a vote – which he would probably win.

But on the back of that victory, he could call an earlier election to put his vision to the public sooner rather than later, fearing greater unrest because of the delay.

What happens to the PM after 2 May as a consequence of these results is the biggest question at the heart of this election.

Blackpool South by-election

Voters in Blackpool South don’t have any council elections this year, but there is the matter of a new MP to select.

Conservative Scott Benton resigned from parliament after undercover journalists posing as gambling industry investors filmed him offering to lobby ministers in exchange for money.

That triggered a recall petition which he lost, and so was forced to resign as an MP.

The seat had been in Labour hands since 1997, but was won by Benton in 2019 with a swing of 9.3 percentage points for a majority of 11.3%.

A resurgent Labour has achieved swings high enough to overturn that majority eleven times since 2021.

Police and crime commissioner elections

Everyone in Wales gets to vote for a new PCC on 2 May as there are votes for all four of the Welsh police force areas – North Wales, South Wales, Gwent and Dyfed-Powys.

There are also PCC elections almost everywhere in England. In London, Greater Manchester, and North, West and South Yorkshire, the mayor takes responsibility for policing. There are direct elections in 34 other police force areas.

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PCCs are elected to hold chief constables to account, representing the communities they serve.

They are responsible for “the totality of policing” in an area, and aim to cut crime and deliver an efficient police service.

They don’t have a role in the day-to day running of the police, but can appoint and dismiss the chief constable, set the force budget and objectives, and bring together community safety and criminal justice partners to make sure local priorities are joined up.

The Conservatives have historically performed well at PCC elections, winning 30 of 35 in England last time out.

Turnout averaged at 33.2%, but was higher in Wales than England – this may have been because Welsh people were voting for the Senedd at the same time while not all English people had concurrent local council elections.


The Data and Forensics team is a multi-skilled unit dedicated to providing transparent journalism from Sky News. We gather, analyse and visualise data to tell data-driven stories. We combine traditional reporting skills with advanced analysis of satellite images, social media and other open-source information. Through multimedia storytelling, we aim to better explain the world while also showing how our journalism is done.

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Labour and Reform in battle for Runcorn by-election seat – but disillusionment could be eventual winner

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Labour and Reform in battle for Runcorn by-election seat - but disillusionment could be eventual winner

On the banks of the Mersey, Runcorn and Helsby is a more complicated political picture than the apparent Labour heartland that first presents itself.

Yes, there are industrial and manufacturing areas – an old town that’s fallen victim to out-of-town shopping, and an out-of-town shopping centre that’s fallen victim to Amazon.

But there are also more middle-class new town developments, as well as Tory-facing rural swathes.

Space Café director Marie Moss says a sense of community has faded
Image:
Space Cafe director Marie Moss says a sense of community has faded

One thing this area does mirror with many across the country, though, is a fed-up electorate with little confidence that politics can work for them.

In the Space Cafe in Runcorn Old Town, its director Marie Moss says many in the region remember a time when a sense of community was more acute.

“People were very proud of their town… and that’s why people get upset and emotional as they remember that,” she says.

It’s this feeling of disenfranchisement and nostalgia-tinged yearning for the past that Reform UK is trading off in its targeting of traditional Labour voters here.

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Party leader Nigel Farage features heavily on leaflets in these parts, alongside spikey messaging around migration, law and order, and Labour’s record in government so far.

Runcorn 2024 result
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Runcorn 2024 result

Taxi driver Mike Holland hears frequent worries about that record from those riding in the back of his cab.

A Labour voter for decades, he says locals were “made up” at last year’s election result but have been “astonished” since then, with benefit changes a common topic of concern.

“Getting a taxi is two things, it’s either a luxury or a necessity… the necessity people are the disabled people… and a lot of the old dears are so stressed and worried about their disability allowance and whether they are going to get it or not get it,” he says.

But will that mean straight switchers to Reform UK?

Taxi driver Mike Holland has voted for Labour for decades, but is looking at the Liberal Democrats and Greens, or may not vote
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Taxi driver Mike Holland has voted for Labour for decades, but is now looking at the Lib Dems and Greens – or may not vote at all

Mike says he agrees with some of what the party is offering but thinks a lot of people are put off by Mr Farage.

He’s now looking at the Liberal Democrats and Greens, both of whom have put up local politicians as candidates.

Or, Mike says, he may just not vote at all.

It’s in places like Runcorn town that some of the political contradictions within Reform UK reveal themselves more clearly.

Many here say they were brought up being told to never vote Tory.

And yet, Reform, chasing their support, has chosen a former Conservative councillor as its candidate.

It’s no surprise Labour has been trialling attack lines in this campaign, painting Mr Farage’s party as “failed Tories”.

As a response to this, look no further than Reform’s recent nod to the left on industrialisation and public ownership.

👉 Click here to listen to Electoral Dysfunction on your podcast app 👈

Read more:
Tough test for Labour after MP quits
MP jailed for late-night brawl
Local elections could re-shape politics

But head 15 minutes south from Runcorn docks, and this by-election campaign changes.

Rural areas like Frodsham and Helsby have, in the past, tended towards the Tories.

The Conservatives, of course, have a candidate in this vote, one who stood in a neighbouring constituency last year.

But Reform is now making a hard play for their supporters in these parts, with a softer message compared to the one being put out in urban areas – an attempt to reassure those anxious about too much political revolution coming to their privet-lined streets.

Labour, meanwhile, is actively trying to mobilise the anti-Farage vote by presenting their candidate – another local councillor – as the only person who can stop Reform.

Nadine Tan is concerned about division and anger in the community
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Makeup artist Nadine Tan is concerned about division and anger in the community

The pitch here is aimed at voters like Frodsham makeup artist Nadine Tan, who are worried about division and anger in the community.

“I think they need to kind of come together and stop trying to divide everyone,” she says.

But like Mike the taxi driver five miles north, disillusionment could be the eventual winner as Nadine says, despite the “thousands of leaflets” through her door, she still thinks “they all say the same thing”.

One factor that doesn’t seem to be swinging too many votes, though, is the insalubrious circumstances in which the area’s former Labour MP left office.

Suspended Labour MP Mike Amesbury walks outside Chester Magistrates Court.
Pic: Reuters
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Labour MP Mike Amesbury was convicted of punching a man in the street. Pic: Reuters

Mike Amesbury stepped down after being convicted of repeatedly punching a constituent in a late-night brawl outside a pub.

But across the patch, many praise their ex-MP’s local efforts, while also saying he was “very silly” to have acted in the way he did.

That may be putting it mildly.

But it’s hard to find much more agreement ahead of Thursday’s vote.

A constituency still hungry for change, but unsure as to who can deliver it.

Full list of candidates, Runcorn and Helsby by-election:

Catherine Anne Blaiklock – English Democrats
Dan Clarke – Liberal Party
Chris Copeman – Green Party
Paul Duffy – Liberal Democrats
Peter Ford – Workers Party
Howling Laud Hope – Monster Raving Loony Party
Sean Houlston – Conservatives
Jason Philip Hughes – Volt UK
Alan McKie – Independent
Graham Harry Moore – English Constitution Party
Paul Andrew Murphy – Social Democratic Party
Sarah Pochin – Reform UK
Karen Shore – Labour
John Stevens – Rejoin EU
Michael Williams – Independent

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Solana’s Loopscale pauses lending after $5.8M hack

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<div>Solana's Loopscale pauses lending after .8M hack</div>

<div>Solana's Loopscale pauses lending after .8M hack</div>

Solana decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol Loopscale has temporarily halted its lending markets after suffering an approximately $5.8 million exploit. 

On April 26, a hacker siphoned approximately 5.7 million USDC (USDC) and 1200 Solana (SOL) from the lending protocol after taking out a “series of undercollateralized loans”, Loopscale co-founder Mary Gooneratne said in an X post. 

The exploit only impacted Loopscale’s USDC and SOL vaults and the losses represent around 12% of Loopscale’s total value locked (TVL), Gooneratne added. 

Loopscale is “working to resume repayment functionality as soon as possible to mitigate unforeseen liquidations,” its said in an X post. 

“Our team is fully mobilized to investigate, recover funds, and ensure users are protected,” Gooneratne said.

Solana's Loopscale pauses lending after $5.8M hack
Loopscale’s ‘Genesis’ lending vaults. Source: Loopscale

In the first quarter of 2025, hackers stole more than $1.6 billion worth of crypto from exchanges and on-chain smart contracts, blockchain security firm PeckShield said in an April report. 

More than 90% of those losses are attributable to a $1.5 billion attack on ByBit, a centralized cryptocurrency exchange, by North Korean hacking outfit Lazarus Group.

Related: Crypto hacks top $1.6B in Q1 2025 — PeckShield

Unique DeFi lending model

Launched on April 10 after a six-month closed beta, Loopscale is a DeFi lending protocol designed to enhance capital efficiency by directly matching lenders and borrowers.

It also supports specialized lending markets, such as “structured credit, receivables financing, and undercollateralized lending,” Loopscale said in an April announcement shared with Cointelegraph. 

Loopscale’s order book model distinguishes it from DeFi lending peers such as Aave that aggregate cryptocurrency deposits into liquidity pools.

Solana's Loopscale pauses lending after $5.8M hack
Loopscale’s daily active users. Source: Mary Gooneratne

Loopscale’s main USDC and SOL vaults yield APRs exceeding 5% and 10%, respectively. It also supports lending markets for tokens such as JitoSOL and BONK (BONK) and looping strategies for upwards of 40 different token pairs. 

The DeFi protocol has approximately $40 million in TVL and has attracted upwards of 7,000 lenders, according to researcher OurNetwork.

Magazine: Ripple says SEC lawsuit ‘over,’ Trump at DAS, and more: Hodler’s Digest, March 16 – 22

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US Senator calls for Trump impeachment, cites memecoin dinner

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US Senator calls for Trump impeachment, cites memecoin dinner

US Senator calls for Trump impeachment, cites memecoin dinner

United States Senator Jon Ossoff expressed support for impeaching President Donald Trump during an April 25 town hall, citing the President’s plan to host a private dinner for top Official Trump memecoin holders. 

“I mean, I saw just 48 hours ago, he is granting audiences to people who buy his meme coin,” said Ossoff, a Democrat, according to a report by NBC News. 

“When the sitting president of the United States is selling access for what are effectively payments directly to him. There is no question that that rises to the level of an impeachable offense.”

Senator Ossoff said he “strongly” supports impeachment proceedings during a town hall in the state of Georgia, where he is running for reelection to the Senate.

The Senator added that an impeachment is unlikely unless the Democratic Party gains control of Congress during the US midterm elections in 2026. Trump’s own Republican Party currently has a majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. 

US Senator calls for Trump impeachment, cites memecoin dinner
TRUMP holders can register to dine with the US President. Source: gettrumpmemes.com

Related: US lawmaker says TRUMP coin could risk national security

Conflicts of interest

On April 23, the Official Trump (TRUMP) memecoin’s website announced plans for Trump to host an exclusive dinner at his Washington, DC golf club with the top 220 TRUMP holders. 

The website subsequently posted a leaderboard tracking top TRUMP wallets and a link to register for the event. The TRUMP token’s price has gained more than 50% since the announcement, according to data from CoinMarketCap.

The specific guest list is unclear, but the memecoin’s website states that applicants must pass a background check, “can not be from a [Know Your Customer] watchlist country,” and cannot bring any additional guests.

On April 25, the team behind TRUMP denied social media rumors that TRUMP holders need at least $300,000 to participate in an upcoming dinner with the president.

“People have been incorrectly quoting #220 on the block explorer as the cutoff. That’s wrong because it includes things like locked tokens, exchanges, market makers, and those who are not participating. Instead, you should only be going off the leaderboard,” they wrote.

Law, Politics, Senate, Donald Trump, trumpcoin, Memecoin
The TRUMP token jumped on news of the private dinner plans. Source: CoinMarketCap

Legal experts told Cointelegraph that Trump’s cryptocurrency ventures, including the TRUMP memecoin and Trump-affiliated decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol World Liberty Financial, raise significant concerns about potential conflicts of interest

“Within just a couple of days of him taking office, he’s signed a number of executive orders that are significantly going to affect the way that our crypto and digital assets industry works,” Charlyn Ho of law firm Rikka told Cointelegraph in February. 

“So if he has a personal pecuniary benefit arising from his own policies, that’s a conflict of interest.”

Magazine: Trump’s crypto ventures raise conflict of interest, insider trading questions

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