What could May election results mean for the general election?

Inevitably this contrast has fuelled expectations that the Conservatives could suffer significant losses.

One projection,, external from local election experts Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher, has suggested the party could lose up to half the just under 1,000 council seats it will be trying to defend.

While the Conservatives are defending overall control of only 16 councils, their grip is potentially at risk in half a dozen of them, including Basildon, Dorset, Harlow and Redditch.

Their grip on the position of PCCs could also be lost in about one in three of the 29 contests where the party won last time.

It is, though, hoping for some good news from at least some of the metro mayoral contests, centred on Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield.

Ben Houchen, the Conservative Mayor in Tees Valley, won a spectacular 73% of the vote in 2021, an apparent testament to his personal popularity.

However, a recent poll by consultants Redfield and Wilton, external suggests the result this time around could be close.

The Conservatives are also hoping that their standard-bearer in the West Midlands, Andy Street, will be able to hang on to his position, where, again, some polling, external suggests the winning margin could be narrow.

The party is favourite to win the new mayoralty in York and North Yorkshire.