The Tories must be hoping that the newly created elected mayoralties will lead to some CON victories
The blues are badly represented in this government tier
When Zac Goldsmith failed in his effort to become London mayor in May the total number of these posts held by the Tories was reduced to just one – Torbay. This is an electoral segment where the party has struggled and even at its peak only held three of them.
A big reason, of course is that they’ve tended to be set up in towns and cities where the Tories have struggled. The only other place apart from London which has had a CON directly-elected Mayor was until 2014 North Tyneside.
The Labour Mayors are in London, Bristol, Doncaster, Hackney, Leicester, Lewisham, Liverpool, Middlesbrough, Newham, N Tyneside, Salford and Tower Hamlets. The LDs hold the Watford and Bedford mayoralties while independents have Copeland and Mansfield.
The holders of these pots are very powerful figures in their areas holding a high degree of executive authority. This impact on the role of councillors which have a much more limited role than elsewhere.
There are ten elections in May and the blues must pick up a few.