Angela Rayner’s confirmation that nine councils will no longer go to polls this year has sparked fury from Nigel Farage.

The Reform UK leader took to social media after the announcement to accuse the Government of behaving like a “dictator” and called on supporters to sign a petition to help “save democracy”.

While voters in Cumbria, Cheshire and Warrington, Greater Essex, Hampshire and Solent, Norfolk and Suffolk, and Sussex and Brighton will no longer be going to the polls this May, millions will still have the opportunity to have their say.

It will provide Britons with their first opportunity to register their views on the new Government and their local services.

The election will be a huge risk for both the Tories and Labour, but Reform and the Liberal Democrats could win big.

These councils were last fought in 2021, when the Tories were riding high under Boris Johnson thanks to the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine.

This means that despite Labour’s tanking poll ratings, Kemi Badenoch is set for the biggest bruising on May 1.

Electoral Calculus, a political consultancy, has published forecasts suggesting the Conservatives are on course to lose 460 seats.

By contrast, Labour could gain 290 seats, Reform 275 and the Lib Dems 88.

The Greens could also lose three dozen seats.

Will your area have local or mayoral elections this May? Read the full list below.

County councils

Cambridgeshire – All seats up for election

Derbyshire – All seats up for election

Devon – All seats up for election

Gloucestershire – All seats up for election

Hertfordshire – All seats up for election

Kent – All seats up for election

Lancashire – All seats up for election

Leicestershire – All seats up for election

Lincolnshire – All seats up for election

Nottinghamshire – All seats up for election

Oxfordshire – All seats up for election

Staffordshire – All seats up for election

Warwickshire – All seats up for election

Worcestershire – All seats up for election

Metropolitan boroughs

Doncaster – All seats up for election

Unitary authorities

Buckinghamshire – All seats up for election

Cornwall – All seats up for election

Durham – All seats up for election

North Northamptonshire – All seats up for election

Northumberland – All seats up for election

Shropshire – All seats up for election

West Northamptonshire – All seats up for election

Wiltshire – All seats up for election

Combined-authority mayors

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough – Currently held by Labour

Greater Lincolnshire – To be elected for first time

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Hull & East Yorkshire – To be elected for first time

West of England – Currently held by Labour

Local authority directly elected mayors

Doncaster – Currently held by Labour

North Tyneside – Currently held by Labour