Where are elections happening on 6 May and why do they matter?

Winning a few hundred extra seats and installing Liam Byrne to replace Tory Andy Street as mayor of the West Midlands would represent a golden night for Sir Keir Starmer but anything less would add to perceptions his leadership is running out of steam, writes Andrew Woodcock

The ‘super Thursday’ event represents the electorate’s first opportunity to pass judgement on Boris Johnson for his handling of the pandemic and his delivery of Brexit (Getty)

Elections may be the last thing on Britons’ minds as the country emerges from the coronavirus pandemic and the prospect of summer holidays beckons.

But in just a few weeks most of the country is facing polls which could have a fundamental impact not only on the political direction of the 2020s but on the future of the UK itself.

On 6 May, voters will cast their ballots not only in elections for the Scottish parliament, Welsh Senedd, London Assembly and 149 English councils, but also choose 39 police and crime commissioners and 13 elected mayors, in one of the largest democratic events ever seen outside a general election.