Winners, losers and a PM on the brink - what to expect in next week's elections

Key Points:

• Labour leader Keir Starmer faces ongoing speculation about a potential leadership challenge, but his allies firmly reject any idea of setting a public exit date or making deals, emphasizing his focus on national leadership and international issues.
• The Reform party leads UK-wide polls and is expected to make significant gains in local councils, potentially positioning itself as the main opposition to Labour and replacing the Conservatives as the natural right-wing party.
• The Green Party aims to increase its council seats substantially and possibly gain control of some London councils, though recent events have caused some internal concern about voter alienation due to their politics.
• The Liberal Democrats hope to build on targeted local successes, aiming to add around 150 council seats and strengthen their position in councils they already control, though they face challenges in capitalizing on voter restlessness.
• The Conservative Party anticipates losing hundreds of seats amid ongoing national struggles but remains relatively confident in leader Kemi Badenoch’s position, while Labour risks significant losses that could intensify internal leadership debates depending on election outcomes.