2021 Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election

In August 2019, incumbent Labour councillor for Prenton Tony Norbury was not approved for candidacy by the Local campaign forum thus was unable to seek re-selection.[12] Former Prenton councillor Angie Davies, who lost her seat in May to the Green's Chris Cooke, was selected as the new Labour candidate in October.[13] The Greens are fielding Harry Gorman who was selected in June.[14]

Tom Usher, the youngest member of council and cabinet member for Children and Families, lost a selection contest in his Liscard Labour branch in October to Dave Brennan by 21 votes to 30.[15] This was criticised by Independent group leader, and former Labour councillor, Moira McLaughlin who perceived Usher as having been “booted out by the hard-left”. Liscard labour chair Edwina Doyle dismissed this notion putting the result down to Usher being “a bit younger and less experienced [than Brennan]”. In January 2020, he was selected to contest the neighboring, Conservative held, ward of Wallasey.[16]

Conservative councillor Chris Blakeley died of cancer on 15 January.[17] A casual vacancy was announced on 6 February with the seat to be filled at the upcoming election when Blakeley's term was due to end.[18] Simon Mountney, who had served alongside Blakeley as a fellow ward councillor from 2004 to 2014, was selected as the Conservative candidate in March.[19][20]

On 6 February, Labour councillor for Bromborough Jo Bird was suspended from the party over alleged anti-Semitism.[21] This means Bird, who is Jewish, would have been unable to seek re-election as a Labour candidate.[22] Bird's suspension was lifted on 14 February.[23]

The Conservatives posted an appeal for candidates on Twitter on 17 February for wards in the Wallasey and Birkenhead constituencies.[24]

On 24 February, Leader of the Council Pat Hackett announced he was standing down as both leader and councilor for New Brighton later in the year.[25] This will, however, be in July after the election.[26]

A leaked internal Labour report released on 3 March 2020 predicted severe loses for the party at the upcoming local elections across the country.[27] Wirral, however, was one of only two authorities (the other being Burnley) seen as a possible gain for Labour with Wirral being the only positive prediction under all models used within the report.[28]