32 local authorities will form the ‘election battleground’ for the first scheduled ballot box test of the Starmer government in May 2025.
With the Tories controlling the majority of these councils, against the backdrop of Labour’s new austerity agenda it will be even more necessary for anti-austerity campaigners – between now and the May elections – not just to say ‘no cuts’ but to explain how councillors could defy the government and defend local public services if they wanted to.
Combined, the 2025 battleground councils have £7.538 billion in general fund and capital receipts reserves that they could use to resource a fightback.
The TUSC report – entitled ‘How Much Reserves Have They Got?’ – provides the detail for the battleground councils to supplement previously published TUSC material on how it is possible to prepare a no cuts People’s Budget if the will is there.
Read more: tusc.org.uk/resources
