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What is at stake in UK local voting ahead of a looming general election
![Yui Mok Britain's Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey and his wife Emily Gasson leave the polling station at Surbiton Hill Methodist Church, after casting their vote in the local elections, in south west London, Thursday May 2, 2024. (Yui Mok/PA via AP)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/33e5a759490a41bcae2ca26329ee98ee/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
Britain's Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey and his wife Emily Gasson leave the polling station at Surbiton Hill Methodist Church, after casting their vote in the local elections, in south west London, Thursday May 2, 2024. (Yui Mok/PA via AP)
![Stefan Rousseau Britain's Labour leader Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria leave the polling station in his Holborn and St Pancras constituency, after casting their votes in the local and London Mayoral election, in north London, Thursday May 2, 2024. (Stefan Rousseau/PA via AP)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/c6a09ae8dd9a413286a9ef6e8224eefc/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
Britain's Labour leader Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria leave the polling station in his Holborn and St Pancras constituency, after casting their votes in the local and London Mayoral election, in north London, Thursday May 2, 2024. (Stefan Rousseau/PA via AP)
![Kin Cheung A voter waits with his dog outside a polling station as it opens for people to vote in London, Thursday, May 2, 2024. London Mayor Sadiq Khan, is seeking re-election, and standing against 12 other candidates for the post of Mayor of London. There are other Mayoral elections in English cities and as well as local council elections. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/fa11941f9c7d4d2789cd0321b38df8f7/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
A voter waits with his dog outside a polling station as it opens for people to vote in London, Thursday, May 2, 2024. London Mayor Sadiq Khan, is seeking re-election, and standing against 12 other candidates for the post of Mayor of London. There are other Mayoral elections in English cities and as well as local council elections. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
![Stefan Rousseau Labour leader Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria arrive at their local polling station to cast their vote in the local and London Mayoral election, in north London, Thursday, May 2, 2024. Millions of voters in England and Wales will cast their ballots on Thursday in an array of local elections that will be the last big test before a U.K. general election that all indicators show will see the Conservative Party ousted from power after 14 years. (Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire/PA via AP)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/0de4002c61ca42dcbad54fc669f8e4ab/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
Labour leader Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria arrive at their local polling station to cast their vote in the local and London Mayoral election, in north London, Thursday, May 2, 2024. Millions of voters in England and Wales will cast their ballots on Thursday in an array of local elections that will be the last big test before a U.K. general election that all indicators show will see the Conservative Party ousted from power after 14 years. (Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire/PA via AP)
![Kin Cheung London Mayoral Labour Party candidate Sadiq Khan and his wife Saadiya Ahmed pose for the media as they arrive to vote in London, Thursday, May 2, 2024. Khan, is seeking re-election, and standing against 12 other candidates for the post of Mayor of London. There are other Mayoral elections in English cities and as well as local council elections. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/e712ba9e31294438a9671b4f60bfb66e/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
London Mayoral Labour Party candidate Sadiq Khan and his wife Saadiya Ahmed pose for the media as they arrive to vote in London, Thursday, May 2, 2024. Khan, is seeking re-election, and standing against 12 other candidates for the post of Mayor of London. There are other Mayoral elections in English cities and as well as local council elections. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
![Kin Cheung London Mayoral Labour Party candidate Sadiq Khan and his wife Saadiya Ahmed pose for the media as they arrive to vote in London, Thursday, May 2, 2024. Khan, is seeking re-election, and standing against 12 other candidates for the post of Mayor of London. There are other Mayoral elections in English cities and as well as local council elections. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/e31fe16ee97d405f860562a893e63dad/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
London Mayoral Labour Party candidate Sadiq Khan and his wife Saadiya Ahmed pose for the media as they arrive to vote in London, Thursday, May 2, 2024. Khan, is seeking re-election, and standing against 12 other candidates for the post of Mayor of London. There are other Mayoral elections in English cities and as well as local council elections. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
![Kin Cheung Polling station officials put out a sign as it opens for people to vote in London, Thursday, May 2, 2024. London Mayor Sadiq Khan, is seeking re-election, and standing against 12 other candidates for the post of Mayor of London. There are other Mayoral elections in English cities and as well as local council elections. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/72ced8097d5746749e67a15c57ef69de/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
Polling station officials put out a sign as it opens for people to vote in London, Thursday, May 2, 2024. London Mayor Sadiq Khan, is seeking re-election, and standing against 12 other candidates for the post of Mayor of London. There are other Mayoral elections in English cities and as well as local council elections. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
![Yui Mok Voters leave a polling station at St Alban's Church, south London, after casting their votes in the local and London Mayoral election Thursday, May 2, 2024. (Yui Mok/PA via AP)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/224eccdd2fd4436b98d88be83c0c9fc6/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
Voters leave a polling station at St Alban's Church, south London, after casting their votes in the local and London Mayoral election Thursday, May 2, 2024. (Yui Mok/PA via AP)
![Frank Augstein FILE - In this Thursday, Dec. 12, 2019 file photo, a polling station signpost lies on the pavement, in Twickenham, England. Millions of voters in England and Wales will cast their ballots in an array of local elections. The voting on Thursday will be the last big test before a U.K. general election that all indicators show will see the Conservative Party ousted from power after 14 years. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein, File)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/de779024f26d4903ae38c5293a84067b/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
FILE - In this Thursday, Dec. 12, 2019 file photo, a polling station signpost lies on the pavement, in Twickenham, England. Millions of voters in England and Wales will cast their ballots in an array of local elections. The voting on Thursday will be the last big test before a U.K. general election that all indicators show will see the Conservative Party ousted from power after 14 years. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein, File)