Local elections 2022: A guide to Swindon vote

A third of Swindon Borough Council's seats are being contested in the local elections.

Ahead of the vote, BBC Radio Wiltshire politics reporter Dan O'Brien gave an insight into the political landscape in the Wiltshire town.

Voters will chose 19 councillors on 5 May and the results could be an indication of party popularity nationwide.

The Conservatives have a majority on the borough council.

Labour, the Liberal Democrats, The Green Party and a new Trade Union and Socialist Coalition will also be represented at ballot boxes.

Swindon is so often closely watched at election time, because traditionally it is a test of how the Conservatives and Labour perform against each other.

On paper, it is possible for either main party to take control of the council, but the political context makes it much trickier for the Tories to be toppled this year.

They go into this election with a record majority after last year winning several seats which had only ever voted Labour.

As neither party expects the council to change hands, the big political question is whether we continue to see the Conservatives march into Labour strongholds - or if we see the start of a comeback for Sir Keir Starmer's party.

That is why much campaigning is focussed in parts of the town like Penhill where I've been speaking to voters, as well as Rodbourne Cheney, Park South and the town centre.

So is 'partygate' having an effect on this campaign? The Tories here acknowledge they have lost some local support, but say they are not detecting large numbers switching their votes.

Likewise for Labour here, they think 'partygate' anger is already factored in, and voters really want to talk about potholes and Swindon's long-running roadworks.

Hear a debate between the two main parties here.

Nine parts of town have a Liberal Democrat on the ballot - in their interview with me the party said it is focused on a comeback having lost its only seat in Eascott last year.

The Green Party also have six candidates, in their interview telling me they are focusing their limited resources in the hope of delivering Swindon's first ever Green councillor.

Two wards also have candidates from a new Trade Union and Socialist Coalition, and unlike last year there are no independents.

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