The leader of the Conservatives on Sunderland Council, Antony Mullen, has told BBC Radio 4 why he believes his party failed to make gains there.
“It’s been partygate - it’s suppressed our turnout,” he said, referring to the controversy over lockdown parties in Downing Street and Whitehall.
He said some people had made “negative comments about Boris Johnson” while he was out campaigning locally.
“Quite clearly that’s the only thing that has changed nationally that has affected this,” Mr Mullen said.
“The best chance of reviving the Conservative Party's fortunes will be with a new leader,” he said.
“If there is no improvement in the party's reputation, then clearly something has to change.”
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
Labour 'at end of cycle of losing seats'
Graeme Miller, Labour leader of Sunderland Council, survived a Conservative push to unseat him, which included two visits to the city by the Prime Minister.
He said: "We are now at the end of the cycle of losing seats, I genuinely believe that.
"We've listened and talked to residents to find out what was important for them and the council is delivering now on all of that.
"But the key thing is trust, we are rebuilding trust people are genuinely starting to consider us as a party of leadership again.
"That's down to Keir Starmer ... the whole party just starting to talk to people and not take it for granted, which possibly we may have done a little bit of in the past."
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
Conservatives 'absolutely elated' with council gain
BBC Radio Tees
The Conservatives are "absolutely elated" at gaining two seats on Hartlepool Council giving them 15 of the authority's 36 members.
The BBC understands the Conservatives and independents will continue to run the council in coalition after no one party won an overall majority of at least 19 seats.
BBCCopyright: BBC
But Ray Martin Wells, the Conservative President in Hartlepool, said he was "absolutely elated" and their 15 seats made them "by far the largest party on Hartlepool council".
Labour group leader Brenda Harrison said the party is improving in the town.
She said: "We've had a very rocky few years but the Labour group that is now is a very different group. We are working very much together."
Elections 2022: Round-up of the overnight results
if you're just logging in for the first time here is a round-up of what happened overnight in the North East and Cumbria council elections.
One of the few Conservatives to win a seat on the new Cumberland council says his party has a national "integrity issue" that has cost it locally.
The council covering Copeland, Allerdale and Carlisle, will be controlled by Labour when it comes into force on 1 April 2023 after the party won 30 of its 46 seats.
Ex-Carlisle City Council Conservative leader John Mallinson, who was one of seven Conservaives elected to the unitary authority, blamed national issues such as "partygate".
He said: "[It's] the integrity issue basically, I just don't feel people any longer have the confidence their Prime Minister can be relied upon to tell the truth."
Mr Mallinson said the comments were perceived by voters as "very patronising", adding: "People have not liked it."
He told the BBC his "preference" would be for the party to get rid of Prime Minister Boris Johnson although he has no power over the issue.
Seat loss for North Tyneside Conservative group leader
Ruth Holliday
BBC Newcastle
At the North
Tyneside count - three seats changed hands out of the 20 being contested.
Labour ended up with 18 of those, holding
16, and gaining two.
The big shock was
the Conservative Group Leader Sean Brockbank losing his seat - Monkseaton South
- to Labour.
But the
Conservatives also gained a seat - Collingwood, with young councillor Olly
Scargill taking that from Labour.
And Labour gained
another seat in Howdon, from an Independent councillor who didn't stand this
time round.
BBCCopyright: BBC
The Greens
fielded 19 candidates in the 20 seats and were hoping to take Whitley Bay, but
candidate Alan Steele lost out to Labour by 1760 votes to 1236.
And history was made in Benton ward where
Labour's Josephine Mudzingwa became the first black councillor in North
Tyneside for 48 years.
BBCCopyright: BBC
Labour holds on in the North East
Richard Moss
Political editor, North East & Cumbria
There was never much to gain for Labour in an area where
they remain a dominant electoral force, but they will at least be encouraged
that losses were more limited than in previous years.
Their challenge though
now is to begin to claw back previous losses, particularly in Sunderland.
The party started the night perilously perched in that authority - having lost 19 seats in the last two elections, they were just six more defeats from losing overall control.
In the end, even if they didn't begin to claw seats back, they at least stopped the rot.
One seat fell to the Lib Dems, but the Conservatives failed to make any gains.
And crucially council leader Graeme Miller (pictured below) held on despite a Tory campaign which even featured a visit by Boris Johnson to his Washington ward.
The Conservatives did win a Labour seat in North Tyneside, but also lost one - their group leader Sean Brockbank the casualty.
As he had called for the Prime Minister to resign over Partygate, he may well feel pretty sore.
Labour did suffer in South Tyneside as they lost four seats for the second year in a row.
They remain firmly in control but the Green Party continue to build a bridgehead, doubling their representation to six councillors.
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
Thumping majority for Labour on Cumberland Council
Bob Cooper
Political reporter, BBC Cumbria
Cumberland is a key electoral battleground between Labour
and the Tories.
It’s been happy hunting ground for Conservatives in recent
years, making gains in what was traditional Labour territory.
It’s a significant result, partly because it means Labour
will be in charge of a whole range of local services until 2027.
But also because of the symbolic significance of this part
of the so-called “red wall”.
It’s home to the “Workington Man” archetypal swing voter,
which some say won the Conservatives the last general election.
Labour hope now that these northern, working class voters,
have returned to them.
BBCCopyright: BBC
Round-up of the overnight election results
So far we have results for five of the North East Councils and one of the new Cumberland Councils.
Here is a summary of what happened overnight:
North East
Sunderland: Labour hold
South Tyneside: Labour hold
Newcastle: Labour hold
North Tyneside: Labour hold
Hartlepool: No party majority - no change
Cumbria
Cumberland: Labour win new council
The results for Gateshead Council and Westmorland and Furness are due to be declared later.
Welcome to our coverage of the North East and Cumbria 2002 council elections
Voters across the North East and Cumbria went to the polls on Thursday for council elections.
Polls opened for six North East Councils - Sunderland, Hartlepool, Newcastle, Gateshead, North Tyneside and South Tyneside - and for two new councils which are to be formed in Cumbria - Cumberland and Westmorland and Furness.
We'll be bringing you all the results here along with reaction and analysis.
Live Reporting
All times stated are UK
Council coalition to remain after election hold
No one party has an overall majority of Hartlepool Council after 13 of its 36 seats were up for election.
Read moreSunderland Conservative leader blames 'partygate'
The leader of the Conservatives on Sunderland Council, Antony Mullen, has told BBC Radio 4 why he believes his party failed to make gains there.
“It’s been partygate - it’s suppressed our turnout,” he said, referring to the controversy over lockdown parties in Downing Street and Whitehall.
He said some people had made “negative comments about Boris Johnson” while he was out campaigning locally.
“Quite clearly that’s the only thing that has changed nationally that has affected this,” Mr Mullen said.
“The best chance of reviving the Conservative Party's fortunes will be with a new leader,” he said.
“If there is no improvement in the party's reputation, then clearly something has to change.”
Labour 'at end of cycle of losing seats'
Graeme Miller, Labour leader of Sunderland Council, survived a Conservative push to unseat him, which included two visits to the city by the Prime Minister.
He said: "We are now at the end of the cycle of losing seats, I genuinely believe that.
"We've listened and talked to residents to find out what was important for them and the council is delivering now on all of that.
"But the key thing is trust, we are rebuilding trust people are genuinely starting to consider us as a party of leadership again.
"That's down to Keir Starmer ... the whole party just starting to talk to people and not take it for granted, which possibly we may have done a little bit of in the past."
Conservatives 'absolutely elated' with council gain
BBC Radio Tees
The Conservatives are "absolutely elated" at gaining two seats on Hartlepool Council giving them 15 of the authority's 36 members.
The BBC understands the Conservatives and independents will continue to run the council in coalition after no one party won an overall majority of at least 19 seats.
But Ray Martin Wells, the Conservative President in Hartlepool, said he was "absolutely elated" and their 15 seats made them "by far the largest party on Hartlepool council".
Labour group leader Brenda Harrison said the party is improving in the town.
She said: "We've had a very rocky few years but the Labour group that is now is a very different group. We are working very much together."
Elections 2022: Round-up of the overnight results
if you're just logging in for the first time here is a round-up of what happened overnight in the North East and Cumbria council elections.
How the new Cumberland Council will look
This is how the new Cumberland Council will look politically after Thursday's elections.
Conservatives have 'integrity issue'
One of the few Conservatives to win a seat on the new Cumberland council says his party has a national "integrity issue" that has cost it locally.
The council covering Copeland, Allerdale and Carlisle, will be controlled by Labour when it comes into force on 1 April 2023 after the party won 30 of its 46 seats.
Ex-Carlisle City Council Conservative leader John Mallinson, who was one of seven Conservaives elected to the unitary authority, blamed national issues such as "partygate".
He said: "[It's] the integrity issue basically, I just don't feel people any longer have the confidence their Prime Minister can be relied upon to tell the truth."
He also criticised comments made by Environment Secretary George Eustice, who said people should buy cheaper food to help them cope with price rises.
Mr Mallinson said the comments were perceived by voters as "very patronising", adding: "People have not liked it."
He told the BBC his "preference" would be for the party to get rid of Prime Minister Boris Johnson although he has no power over the issue.
Seat loss for North Tyneside Conservative group leader
Ruth Holliday
BBC Newcastle
At the North Tyneside count - three seats changed hands out of the 20 being contested.
Labour ended up with 18 of those, holding 16, and gaining two.
The big shock was the Conservative Group Leader Sean Brockbank losing his seat - Monkseaton South - to Labour.
But the Conservatives also gained a seat - Collingwood, with young councillor Olly Scargill taking that from Labour.
And Labour gained another seat in Howdon, from an Independent councillor who didn't stand this time round.
The Greens fielded 19 candidates in the 20 seats and were hoping to take Whitley Bay, but candidate Alan Steele lost out to Labour by 1760 votes to 1236.
And history was made in Benton ward where Labour's Josephine Mudzingwa became the first black councillor in North Tyneside for 48 years.
Labour holds on in the North East
Richard Moss
Political editor, North East & Cumbria
There was never much to gain for Labour in an area where they remain a dominant electoral force, but they will at least be encouraged that losses were more limited than in previous years.
Their challenge though now is to begin to claw back previous losses, particularly in Sunderland.
The party started the night perilously perched in that authority - having lost 19 seats in the last two elections, they were just six more defeats from losing overall control.
In the end, even if they didn't begin to claw seats back, they at least stopped the rot. One seat fell to the Lib Dems, but the Conservatives failed to make any gains.
And crucially council leader Graeme Miller (pictured below) held on despite a Tory campaign which even featured a visit by Boris Johnson to his Washington ward.
The Conservatives did win a Labour seat in North Tyneside, but also lost one - their group leader Sean Brockbank the casualty.
As he had called for the Prime Minister to resign over Partygate, he may well feel pretty sore.
Labour did suffer in South Tyneside as they lost four seats for the second year in a row.
They remain firmly in control but the Green Party continue to build a bridgehead, doubling their representation to six councillors.
Thumping majority for Labour on Cumberland Council
Bob Cooper
Political reporter, BBC Cumbria
Cumberland is a key electoral battleground between Labour and the Tories.
It’s been happy hunting ground for Conservatives in recent years, making gains in what was traditional Labour territory.
But those fortunes were turned around in these elections, with a thumping majority for Labour on the new council.
It’s a significant result, partly because it means Labour will be in charge of a whole range of local services until 2027.
But also because of the symbolic significance of this part of the so-called “red wall”.
It’s home to the “Workington Man” archetypal swing voter, which some say won the Conservatives the last general election.
Labour hope now that these northern, working class voters, have returned to them.
Round-up of the overnight election results
So far we have results for five of the North East Councils and one of the new Cumberland Councils.
Here is a summary of what happened overnight:
North East
Sunderland: Labour hold
South Tyneside: Labour hold
Newcastle: Labour hold
North Tyneside: Labour hold
Hartlepool: No party majority - no change
Cumbria
Cumberland: Labour win new council
The results for Gateshead Council and Westmorland and Furness are due to be declared later.
Welcome to our coverage of the North East and Cumbria 2002 council elections
Voters across the North East and Cumbria went to the polls on Thursday for council elections.
Polls opened for six North East Councils - Sunderland, Hartlepool, Newcastle, Gateshead, North Tyneside and South Tyneside - and for two new councils which are to be formed in Cumbria - Cumberland and Westmorland and Furness.
We'll be bringing you all the results here along with reaction and analysis.