POLITICS: Local elections in 2017

Next year’s round of local elections will be telling. It will be UKIP’s first attempt to defend the gains made in its 2013 surge, as well as a vital chance for the LibDems to build on their local by-election successes. For the Government, Andy Street’s run in the West Midlands will also test the Conservatives’ ability to sell their industrial strategy in a region packed full of marginal parliamentary seats. In fact, this race will be so important to the Tories that thought is already being given to how policy making in Westminster now could help shape the result next year.