<p>Local elections are often a stick used to beat the government with. That’s never been truer than in this Thursday’s contests. Across the country, voters are expected to desert Labour, exposing the real dividing lines in British politics that have been emerging since before the 2024 general election.</p><br><p>In this week’s episode, we reveal whether Labour can survive a two-front battle against Reform and the Greens, what happens when unvetted fringe candidates win seats, and whether projected election disasters will ultimately topple Keir Starmer's leadership.</p><br><p>Find the best clips from the podcast and more from Helen and Cleo on the show's Instagram page <a href="https://instagram.com/intheroom.pod" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><br><p>This podcast is part of The Independent Podcast Network and is produced in association with Next Chapter Studios</p><br><p>Executive Producers: Olivia Foster and Carrie Rose</p><p>Producer: Sam Durham</p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>