These local results suggest Tory decimation at the general election ahead

The local elections which took place on May 2 have provided an unusually rich set of results to pore over. Around 2,600 seats were up for election on 107 councils across the country. There were elections for 37 police and crime commissioners, and for 11 local mayors. And much as the government would have preferred us not to notice, there was a parliamentary by-election in Blackpool South.

It will be a couple days before we have the full results, but the big picture so far is that the Conservatives...