MP Nick Clegg today confirmed he would be stepping down as Liberal Democrat leader after a poor result in the General Election.

Labour gained Redcar from the Lib Dems with 17,946 votes to 7,558.

Hartlepool Mail

Iain Wright hit back at Hartlepool United after the club urged fans to "think carefully" before voting for the town's MP just hours before people went to the polls., external

Nigel Farage today confirmed he would be stepping down as UKIP leader after failing to win Thanet South from the Conservatives.

Jennie Dennett
BBC Radio Cumbria

There are "thousands" of spoilt ballot papers in the Copeland Mayoral Election, I've been told.

Conservative candidate Chris Whiteside says some are protests against the position of mayor, but most are in error by failing to indicate a first preference candidate.

"We did not clearly enough explain the electoral system," he says.

Lloyd Watson
BBC News

Here's the count in Hexham.

Fergus Hewison
BBC Newcastle political reporter

There have been 40,501 votes cast in Berwick-upon-Tweed, that's a turnout of 71.09%.

We'll have a result shortly.

It's been confirmed that 325 Conservatives have now been elected to the House of Commons - the number of seats needed for the party to govern as a majority.

Labour's Alan Campbell secured a big rise in his majority in Tynemouth, rising from 5,739 to 8,240, 48.2% of the vote.

Glenn Hall came a comfortable second, finishing with 32.8% over UKIP's Gary Legg's 12%.

Liberal Democrat John Paton-Day saw his share drop from 14.9% to 3%, while Julia Erskine from the Green party had a rise from 1% to 3.8%.

Jennie Dennett
BBC Radio Cumbria

The counting begins at the Copeland Mayoral election. We're expecting the result at about 12:30.

The Gateshead Council election results showed no change with all contested seats successfully defended.

Of the contested seats, Labour defended all 19 of their seats, while the Liberal Democrats defended all three of theirs.

Image source, PA

Labour have a total of 55 seats, while the Lib Dems have 11. The total seats required for a majority is 34. Find your local election result here, external.

Here's a picture of Sunderland's three winning Labour MPs - Sharon Hodgson (left), Bridget Phillipson (centre) and Julie Elliott (right) at the Sunderland Election Count.

Image source, Paul Kingston / NNP

While UKIP made significant gains across the North East, its leader, Nigel Farage, failed to win his target seat in Thanet South.

Adrian Pitches
Environment correspondent, BBC North-East

tweets, external: I love the yellow tie and purple shirt combo these gents from UKIP are modelling. #GE2015

Richard Moss
Political editor, North East & Cumbria

Verification is under way in Alnwick where votes in the Berwick-upon-Tweed constituency are being counted.

The elections to Darlington Borough Council, external last night saw the Conservatives gain four seats, Labour lose three, the Liberal Democrats lose two, and an independent gain one.

Labour still has control of the council with 29 seats.

Find your local council election details here.

Peter Harris
Look North

Stockton South was a key Labour target but Louise Baldock fell 5,046 votes short.

Conservative MP James Wharton held the seat with 24,221 votes and a 46.8% share.

He said: "There's actually a lot of good news in our area, we're fighting hard and working hard to deliver it. I want to build on that going forward and I'm delighted the people of Stockton South want to give me the chance to do that."

David Rhodes
Politics Reporter, BBC North East and Cumbria

England's most northern constituency, Berwick-upon-Tweed is a key target for the Conservatives who hope to oust the Liberal Democrats.

Sir Alan Beith, the longest serving liberal since David Lloyd George, is stepping down after 42 years.

Image source, Getty Images

The Conservatives, who last held the seat in 1973, hope they can benefit from his departure at the expense of his party successor Julie Pörksen.

Labour saw a clean sweep in the elections to South Tyneside Council, external.

The party held 14 seats, gained two from UKIP and two from independents.

Find your local council election details here.

Image source, Stewart Adamson

Mark Denten
Political Correspondent, BBC North East & Cumbria

Five years ago, Labour were ousted from Redcar. It was one of the shocks of the election. Last night, normal service, Labour style, was restored.

Anna Turley overturned a Lib Dem majority of more than 5,000 to take a seat by more than 10,000 votes.

She said: "We've seen a country that's increasingly disparate as often happens under a Tory government. So yes the North East, particularly Teesside and Redcar, has been hit really badly."

@BBCPolitics

Two senior Labour figures have told the BBC they expect Ed Miliband to announce he is to stand down when he makes a speech in central London at noon. They say they don't know the timescale.

His office have described this as "speculation".

He is due to address Labour Party staff in the next 10 minutes or so