Working to make government more effective

Working to make government more effective

(left to right) Scotland's First Minister John Swinney, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Wales' First Minister Eluned Morgan talk as they come out to pose for a family photograph during the British-Irish Council (BIC) summit in Edinburgh.
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Local and devolved elections 2026

On Thursday 7 May, voters across Scotland, Wales and England head to the polls in a major set of local and devolved elections.

The local and devolved elections on 7 May 2026 represent a major political test for Keir Starmer, the first ministers of Scotland and Wales, and local leaders across England. Highest profile will be the Scottish parliament and Senedd Cymru (Welsh parliament) elections that will determine who becomes the first ministers of Scotland and Wales. 

In England, several thousand council seats are being contested across London, and a number of metropolitan boroughs, and county, district and unitary councils elsewhere in England. Plans to elect six new regional mayors as part of the government’s devolution priority programme have been delayed.

The Institute for Government is following the campaigns, explaining why these elections matter and analysing the results. Watch this space for all our elections content.

Watch our video on the local elections in England

Local elections U-turn is welcome – but this saga has been a government fiasco

It is right that local elections go ahead in May – and the government now needs to focus on getting local government reorganisation right too.

Read the comment
Verification of votes during the North East Lincolnshire Council local elections.

Scotland

Wales

Elections 2026: How could votes in England, Scotland and Wales reshape British politics?

Our expert panel, featuring Kezia Dugdale, Guto Harri and Luke Tryl, preview the issues at stake in the hugely significant elections taking place across the UK in May 2026.

Watch the event
Kezia Dugdale speaking at the IfG

English local government elections

Our devolution experts

Topic
Devolution
Keywords
Local government Local elections The union Intergovernmental relations Regional economic growth
United Kingdom
Scotland Wales England
Position
Metro mayor First minister of Scotland First minister of Wales
Department
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland Office of the Secretary of State for Wales
Public figures
John Swinney Eluned Morgan
Publisher
Institute for Government

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