Labour faces potential upheaval in upcoming UK polls

(MENAFN) London Mayor Sadiq Khan cautioned Friday that the upcoming local elections in May could be a challenging test for Labour, as voters across the UK head to the polls in contests that may influence the national political landscape.

“Evidence tells us, and I speak from experience as a former member of parliament, when there is a Labour government, Labour councils do less well. Labour does less well in midterm elections, unfortunately, when we're in government,” Khan said.

Recalling Labour’s strong showing in London four years ago, when the party secured over 60% of council seats, he warned that this year’s results may reflect broader national sentiment rather than local performance. “This may be because people will treat it as a referendum on how the government is doing,” he noted.

Khan also highlighted the ongoing efforts of the current government to address long-standing issues from the previous administration. “I think the government's doing a good job turning around the mess made by the previous government. 14 years of bad legacy isn't turned around in 14 months,” he said.

Urging voters to focus on council performance, he added, “I'm hoping people will vote based upon how good or bad a council is, rather than how perfect or imperfect a government is.”

The elections on May 7 will include local councils in England, alongside Scottish Parliament and Welsh Senedd elections, offering millions of voters an opportunity to express their party preferences.

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