What we learned from local votes ahead of looming UK general election

By PAN PYLAS
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — Millions of voters in England have voted in local elections, the last big test before a looming U.K. general election. All indicators suggest the Labour Party will then return to power after 14 years in the wilderness. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was barely able to point to any big success for his Conservatives Party. The electoral coalition that delivered a a big win in the 2019 general election has frayed, if not completely dissolved, in the wake of a series of political dramas and the cost of living crisis. For Labour leader Keir Starmer, the results provided confirmation of what opinion polls have shown for two years — that Labour has recovered from its 2019 low.