Local elections will be 'a verdict on Badenoch', says top minister The government guest on tonight's Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge is the transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, who is speaking to us ahead of the polls opening in the local elections tomorrow. She tells Sophy these elections are "unique" because most of the councils up for election are held by the Tories, and so she says the results will be "a verdict on Kemi Badenoch's leadership of the Conservative Party". There are 23 councils up for grabs in England tomorrow - 18 are Conservative controlled thanks to the party's strong showing in 2021. Minister claims Reform will charge for NHS Sophy puts to her that this is as much of a test for Labour, given the threat from Reform UK, but Alexander says she is not seeing the same support for Nigel Farage's party as is reflected in the polls. She claims Reform will make you "whip your credit card out when you get to the door of A&E or that you take a bank loan out if you want to have your hip [replaced]" - a claim Farage categorically denies. She also says Reform UK candidates at the general election last year made "racist comments", and praises Rishi Sunak for saying that "his daughters shouldn't have to grow up in a country where people who are standing for public office are using such vile and racist language". 'Vote Tory, get Reform - and vice versa' Alexander also points to Reform UK in-fighting, with Rupert Lowe MP having been suspended over bullying claims he denies, and says Labour are "serious" about improving public services and delivering "change". Asked if Reform UK or the Tories are a bigger threat, Alexander says: "If you're voting for a Conservative, you might be getting Reform. If you're voting for Reform, you might be getting Conservative."