What does 2021 have in store for local politics? ALED THOMAS gazes into his crystal ball. IF there’s anything to learn from 2020 (apart from where the mute button is) then it s not to make predictions. But here we are, looking ahead to the next 12 months in Swindon local politics and government. There are two massive variables which will influence how voters and councillors look back a year from now – but nobody can say for certain how both Covid-19 and Brexit will pan out this year. Swindon has just been moved up to Tier 4 restrictions along with the majority of the rest of England, with Wales doing something similar – essentially a repeat of the national lockdown conditions which applied in March and April and May.