Elections 2024 in the North West: Your guide to a huge political year

Prepare yourself for lots of 'cute pictures of dogs outside polling stations' this year

It's a huge year for politics here in the North West of England.

Come May, we will be voting to decide who runs our biggest city regions, who oversees our police forces, and who is in charge of our councils.

Oh and maybe the whole UK, although that one I can't put a specific date on.

That's because only one man can tell us when the general election will be held - Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

He said recently the working assumption was that it would be later in the year, rather than at the same time as the local elections in May.

Before any of that, though, the first test of public opinion could well be a by-election in Blackpool South.

Sitting MP Scott Benton is appealing a 35-day suspension from Parliament for breaching lobbying rules.

If he fails, a by-election could be triggered in that key battleground seat, which Mr Benton won for the Conservatives from Labour in 2019.

The Tories' majority is only 3,690 and Labour will be confident about recovering a seat which they had held since 1997.

"It is such a key marginal," said Prof Jon Tonge from Liverpool University.

"It is so crucial for the Conservatives to retain it, so crucial for Labour to win it."

Boris Johnson swept to power at the 2019 general election but resigned in July 2022

The first definite date for election aficionados to mark in their 2024 diaries is 2 May.

And it's a biggie, with local elections in councils across our region, from Bolton to Blackburn, Wigan to Warrington.

On the same day we'll be asked to our cast our vote for police commissioners in Cheshire, Lancashire and Merseyside.

The responsibility for policing in Greater Manchester rests with the mayor, where incumbent Andy Burnham is seeking a third consecutive term.

The people of Salford will also be heading to the polls to elect their own mayor. Paul Dennett has occupied the role since 2016.

Meanwhile, down the M62, a third Labour mayor, Steve Rotheram, will be seeking another term leading the Liverpool City Region.

Edge Hill University politics lecturer Paula Keaveney believes these elections are crucial.

She said: "These are so close to a general election and it is really a last chance for the parties to put on a show across the country, across the county, across our region.

"You can't predict absolutely from locals to generals because the turnout will be different, but it's a huge piece of temperature taking, it's a massive barometer. We'll be able to see how the parties are doing, what people think about them."

'Red Wall'

But while the local elections are undoubtedly important, most eyes will be on Westminster this year.

It is clear that our region will be the subject of much national attention.

The leaders of all three major parties have already visited our patch this year, signalling just how important they think this region is.

Of the 10 most marginal seats in England, half are here in the North West.

From Bury North and South in the north to Weaver Vale in the south - we can certainly expect regular visits from the big political beasts.

Boris Johnson swept to power in 2019 in large part thanks to winning the so-called Red Wall seats - parts of the country that traditionally voted Labour.

"At the last general election the Conservatives won seats in this region they never really envisaged winning," explained Prof Tonge.

"Can they defend them against the odds at the forthcoming general election?

"That will decide who walks through the door of Number Ten."