Local elections 2023: Lancashire key for Labour's red wall rebuild hopes

Sir Keir Starmer has been out canvassing with candidates across Lancashire

For the first time in four years, on Thursday voters in every Lancashire borough will be heading to the polls.

While these may be local elections, the results will reverberate nationally.

They will test whether Labour can make the big inroads they need to secure power at the next general election, and whether the Conservatives have done enough to shore up their vote.

For them to have any chance of forming the next government, Labour must rebuild the so-called "red wall", which crumbled in 2019.

Traditionally solid Labour seats went blue as the Tories, led by then-prime minister Boris Johnson, surged to a comprehensive victory.

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Labour will be desperate to bounce back in places like Burnley, which the Conservatives captured four years ago in the general election.

The borough is one the areas hardest hit by the cost-of-living crisis and Labour will be hoping their pledges to help struggling households will resonate in Thursday's local election.

Labour ceded control of the council in 2019 and lost even more councillors two years later. Winning an outright majority in the town would be a huge victory for them - especially since the Liberal Democrats and Greens have been performing well locally.

In Hyndburn - home to Accrington Stanley and the world-famous Nori brick - Labour and the Conservatives are neck-and-neck.

Labour have suffered a number of defections in recent years while the Tories are taking their chances seriously, with senior party figures being sent to the area to campaign alongside candidates.

Rishi Sunak has been keen to emphasise the levelling up agenda on visits to Lancashire

A few junctions along the M65, in Pendle, it's a similar story.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak recently spent a Saturday morning visiting The Pendle Hippodrome Theatre in Colne, giving an indication of how keen the Tories are to hold on to the council.

Just one Conservative loss there would throw the authority into no overall control.

Mr Sunak's opposite number has also been campaigning in the county.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has been out with candidates in South Ribble, a borough where his party is hoping to gain an outright majority on the council for the first time in more than 20 years.

Needing a swing of almost 10% to do it, it certainly won't be a walk in Worden Park though.

Sir Keir recently welcomed the party's newest MP, Ashley Dalton, to parliament following victory in February's West Lancashire by-election.

Labour will need to capitalise on that success to regain control of West Lancashire Council, which they lost two years ago.

Blackpool will be a key electoral battleground

Both Sir Keir and Mr Sunak will also be keeping a watchful eye on results in Blackpool. The town has been the setting for a bitter contest between the main parties over the past few years.

In 2019, the Conservatives won both parliamentary seats and Labour lost control of the council two years later. If Labour were to regain control of the council, it would give them a much-needed boost ahead of the general election.

In the north of the county, Lancaster is one of only three councils in the UK to have a Green Party leader. If the party makes further gains, it would be difficult for Labour to regain control of the council, which they lost in 2019.

While polling day is Thursday, to keep costs down every council in Lancashire - apart from Chorley - will be counting the ballots on Friday. We're unlikely to get all of the results until the evening.

In total, there are 424 seats up for grabs across Lancashire, around two-thirds of the total number.

Whilst some voters will make their decision based entirely on local issues, the result will be a strong indication of what Lancastrians make of the parties nationally.

It's all to play for.