Middle East conflict casts shadow over Lancashire council elections

There will be council elections in eight of Lancashire's boroughs on Thursday

Voters across much of Lancashire will head to the polls on Thursday.

It follows a tumultuous few months in which a number of councils across the county have been shaken up.

Eight Lancashire boroughs have elections this year.

And while these may be local elections, the results will reverberate nationally with the next general election now only months away.

Can Labour make the kind of inroads needed to propel Sir Keir Starmer to Downing Street? And can the Tories confound months of bleak polling data?

Several notable names are seeking re-election to their respective councils and changing party allegiances - many due to stances on the Israel-Hamas conflict - have also added to the choice for the electorate.

Paula Keaveney, senior lecturer in politics at Edge Hill University in Ormskirk, thinks this year's local elections are significant.

"You can't assume local election results will translate into parliamentary results - because there are differences in turnout and voter motivations for example - but these elections will give some indication of local party strength in constituencies around the county," she said.

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While Labour supporters are quietly confident of general election success, in East Lancashire things have been very difficult for them.

All Labour councillors in Pendle quit the party earlier this month, claiming the national leadership "no longer reflected their views" and used "aggressive bullying tactics to suppress fairness and free speech".

Party bosses said Labour was focussed on winning the general election so it could improve the lives of those it's elected to serve.

Five of those who defected are standing as part of the Independent Group.

Meanwhile in Burnley, ex-Labour councillors formed the 11-strong Burnley Independent Group and are currently in power in the town.

With three of them standing for election and another deciding not to take part, control of the borough hands in the balance.

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Down the M65 in Blackburn with Darwen, a group of ex-Labour councillors who also quit over their party's handling of the war in Gaza will be hoping to make gains.

Former Tory councillor Altaf 'Tiger' Patel, who resigned from the party over its stance on the conflict in Gaza, is also standing for re-election.

Blackburn with Darwen's executive member for children, young people and education Julie Gunn and leading Conservative Mark Russell are up for re-election.

In Hyndburn, deputy leader Peter Britcliffe is aiming to keep his seat, not least because control of the council remains on a knife edge.

In Rossendale, more than 80 candidates are in the running, as an all-out election is being held after the number of wards and councillors was cut after boundary reviews.

There will be elections for Preston City Council, while residents across West Lancashire will elect representatives for the local council and parish councils.

There won't be any council-wide elections until 2027 in Blackpool.

But have no fear - not to be deprived of their chance to have their say this year, people living in the Blackpool South constituency have a Westminster by-election, following the resignation of former Conservative MP Scott Benton.

Finally, everybody in the Red Rose county will get the chance to vote in the county-wide election for Lancashire's Police and Crime Commissioner election.