Image source, Kristie Kinghorn

As the sun comes up, we are bringing our live coverage of the General Election 2024 to a close.

Labour has scored a resounding success across the North East, with the Conservatives only holding on to one seat.

You can find out who won in your area here.

There are continuing updates on the general election story across the UK here.

Thank you for joining us.

'A night of Labour triumph and Conservative disaster'published at 08:04 5 July

08:04 5 July

Richard Moss
Political editor, North East & Cumbria

It was a night of Labour triumph and Conservative disaster in the North East and Cumbria.

In the end they just avoided a complete wipeout, but only just. Deputy party chairman Matt Vickers’ win in Stockton West avoided that ignominy.

It leaves the Tories with fewer MPs here than at any time in the party’s modern history.

And it was not just the gains from 2019 that slipped away. Hexham – Conservative for 100 years –was taken by Labour for the first time.

In North Northumberland, David Smith’s victory was perhaps even more remarkable. He was only selected a few days before Rishi Sunak called the election and yet overturned a majority of almost 18,000 and removed Conservative minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan.

Then there was Cumbria. The party went into the election having an effective majority in all the county’s five redrawn seats. They left it without a single MP there. Labour took five, Lib Dem Tim Farron the sixth, overcoming unfavourable boundary changes to win a 20,000-plus majority.

Conservatives had been hopeful that the Tees Valley area would be a happier hunting ground as candidates looked to tie themselves to Ben Houchen – the mayor who won across the area just two months ago.

And the party’s vote did hold up slightly better, but it didn’t prevent all but Stockton West slipping away. Scalps included former Cabinet member Simon Clarke, and current levelling up minister Jacob Young. The party’s two County Durham seats also went to Labour.

But the night was also notable for a surge in the Reform UK vote that put them in second place in a string of constituencies. Results they will look to build on in the next two sets of local elections, with the hope of pushing for wins whenever the seats are contested again.

This though was largely a mirror image of 2019. Then it was the Conservatives pushing into previously unconquered territory, this time Labour was making new ground.

But there is a warning there. Tory wins then were founded, at least in part, on promises to level up the region. Voters have clearly decided that wasn’t delivered.

Labour have promised change and hope. If they don’t deliver then the party cannot be sure the same fate may await, and Reform UK in particular could be waiting to capitalise.

For those of you just joining us, here is a quick recap of what happened overnight.

Labour has won all seats in Northumberland, Tyneside, Wearside and County Durham, with many Conservatives ousted.

Hexham elected its first ever Labour MP, ending the Conservatives' 100-year hold on the seat.

The only Conservative to keep his seat in the region was Matt Vickers in Stockton West.

Sunderland won the race to declare the first result in the country, announcing Houghton & Sunderland South at 23:14 BST.

Labour win all but one seat across the North East in the 2024 General Election

Labour's David Smith has won the North Northumberland seat, taking it from Conservative Anne-Marie Trevelyan.

Stockton West has been held by Matt Vickers in a rare triumph for the Conservatives on Teesside.

Mr Vickers got 20,372 votes, with Labour's Joe Dancey coming second with 18,233 votes.

Steve Matthews from Reform is third with 6,833.

Mr Vickers is now the only Conservative MP on Teesside following its 2019 election success.

A new dawn for Labour in Hexhampublished at 04:36 5 July

04:36 5 July

Richard Moss
Political editor, North East & Cumbria

In 2019, the Conservatives took North East seats they’d never won before, but in 2024 the tables have been turned in Hexham.

Tory for 100 years, and never Labour, voters decided to back change and elect Joe Morris.

Labour sensed an opportunity and campaigned relentlessly in the Northumberland seat. Activists were brought in from Tyneside to support local members.

The Conservative candidate Guy Opperman also fought hard in a constituency in which very few houses did not get a knock on the door, but ultimately he couldn’t fight the red tide.

It is a sign Labour can win in rural areas the Conservatives used to count on.

But as some Tories are finding out tonight, it can be tough to hold on to unexpected gains. The challenge then for Labour is whether they can successfully put roots down in previously uncharted territory.

Conservative Matt Vickers has won Stockton West.

Another win for Labour on Teesside, as Andy McDonald holds the Middlesbrough and Thornaby East seat.

It was a close race in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, where Labour's Luke Myer toppled Conservative Sir Simon Clarke by just over 200 votes.

Mr Myers won 16,468 votes, with Mr Clarke - a former cabinet member - coming in second with 16,254 votes.

Liberal Democrat Jemma Joy came third with 2,032 votes.

A Labour stronghold remained red overnight but has been passed to a new pair of hands.

It may be no surprise that Mark Ferguson is the newly-elected Labour MP for Gateshead Central & Whickham, after it was held by Ian Mearns for the last 14 years.

But what is noteworthy is the rise in Reform's success. Damian Heslop continued the trend we are seeing across the North East, with Reform UK overtaking the Conservatives for that silver medal.

Mr Ferguson spoke of his ambitions to restore “integrity” into politics in his victory speech, as well as stressing his "country first, party second" outlook when serving his new constituents - perhaps an acknowledgement of the 8,601 Reform voters.

For parties who knew taking on such a Labour stronghold was a tough feat, spirits remained surprisingly high.

Green candidate Rachel Cabral said the night was a “success” as it gained 8% of the vote, but more importantly the party got its deposit back.

She stressed the "money back in the pot" means it can be put towards "fighting the local elections".

Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats' Ron Beadle was focused on the results ahead, very much "looking forward to" what looks like "the largest group of Liberal Democrats in Parliament for a very long time".

Labour has held Stockton North, with Chris McDonald replacing Alex Cunningham.

Joe Morris, newly-elected Hexham Labour MP, said: "I think we [Labour] will find a receptive audience whether you live in a countryside or a city centre."

On winning in the area he grew up in, he said: "I’ve already had a few messages from people I’ve been in school with who I haven’t heard from in 10 years.

"When I was knocking on doors, it was nice to see old teachers and people from my first job."

Labour's Alan Strickland, the new MP for Newton Aycliffe & Spennymoor, used his victory speech to say he would work to create high skilled jobs in the area.

He said his absolute priority would be to save the Hitachi factory in County Durham.

Conservative Paul Howell had hoped to remain an MP after previously winning the now non-existent Sedgefield constituency in 2019.

However, he said he was voted in on a "high blue tide and voted out on a low blue tide".

Guy Opperman, the former Conservative MP for Hexham, said it was too soon to apportion blame for his loss.

Labour's Joe Morris secured 46% of the votes, with Mr Opperman coming second with 39%.

Mr Opperman said: "I don’t think tonight is the night to be doing any post-mortems.

"Clearly these are very difficult circumstances.

"We're obviously going to have to go away and reflect."

The City of Durham has been held by Labour's Mary Kelly Foy, with Reform coming second.

Another result is in - Luke Akehurst has held North Durham for the Labour Party.

Here are some pictures of the moment Labour supporters found out their candidate Joe Morris had won Hexham.

The seat had been held by the Conservatives (latterly Guy Opperman) since 1924.

Newcastle East & Wallsend has been held by Labour, with Reform coming second.