Boris has spent a lot of time on the road recently. Almost every day he seems to show up at another school, building site, or hospital somewhere outside SW1 – in just the last 5 weeks, he’s made 10 trips across the UK. Coincidentally, 7 of those trips happen to be in seats which are holding local elections in May.

Since January, here’s where we have noticed* he’s turned up for a handshake and a photo op, along with what’s at stake in May:

• Maidstone – One third of councillors, Tory majority
• Blackpool – ❌ not contesting elections.
• Rochdale – All councillors, Labour majority
• Anglesey – All councillors, Plaid/Independent coalition
• Milton Keynes – One third of councillors, Lib/Lab coalition
• Barnet – All councillors, Tory majority
• Northampton – ❌ not contesting elections.
• Thurrock – One third of councillors, Tory majority
• Somerset – All councillors, Tory majority
• Aylesbury – ❌ not contesting elections.

With Labour and much of the media hammering away at Partygate since December inside the Westminster bubble, Boris obviously knows his best chance of turning things around is to get back into campaign mode. It is what he does best, after all…

*Not a comprehensive list.