Curtice: Swing to Tories in Hartlepool not just about Brexitpublished at 08:31 British Summer Time 7 May 2021

08:31 BST 7 May 2021

Labour's loss of the Hartlepool by-election is the most dramatic illustration yet that the party has so far failed to connect with the Leave/working class voters that, the party lost heavily in 2017 and 2019.

Support for the Brexit Party, which registered 26% in 2019, collapsed - the successor Reform party secured just 1% of the vote. It looks as though the Conservatives picked up the Brexit Party's former support, in line with the proportion of Leave voters preferring the Conservatives to Labour to the order of 3/4 to 1.

However, the swing to the Conservatives of 16% is more than can be accounted for by the collapse of the Brexit Party.

Labour's vote fell 9 points to 29%, so the party clearly lost some of its 2019 support, as well as suffering from the movement of Brexit Party voters to the Conservatives. Part of the explanation may lie in the success of independent candidate, Sam Lee, who won 10% of the vote.

Together with the pattern in key wards, there is clearly a debate about whether Labour can win support from Leave voters by ignoring Brexit as it has in the last 12 months.

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Herbert Soden

There's been no change at Gateshead Council.

Labour, as the borough's ruling party managed to retain all its seats with healthy majorities.

This year there were 24 seats up for grabs one for each of the borough’s 22 wards and then an extra for both Lamesley and Birtley – these extra seats were both taken by Labour.

The Lib Dems took five seats, gaining one from an Independent.

Before the results were declared council leader Martin Gannon said voters would judge his councillors on their local performance.

He added: “Whatever people may think of national politics there is a respect and confidence in the way Gateshead Council is run.

“Without being complacent we will continue to work with and engage with communities.

“Generally [voters] respect the way we run the council and that puts us in a secure place.”

Steve Reed, shadow secretary for communities and local government denied the result was a reflection of Keir Starmer's leadership.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, he said: "Keir's been leader for a year and it's been an extraordinarily unusual year, given that Keir's not yet been able to give a speech in front of a live audience or shake a live voter's hand, because of the restrictions of the pandemic.

"And Keir never made any bones about the fact that we had an electoral mountain to climb after December 2019 - that was our worst result for 85 years.

"We have to win 124 seats back at the next general election simply to draw level with the Conservatives, and that's more seats than any party has won back in a single general election - it was always going to take more than a year to make this change."

There was dismay at the Hartlepool result from within Labour.

Shadow local government secretary Steve Reed said: "People understand the leader has changed, they don't understand that the party has changed, because we haven't yet done enough prove that."

Labour MP Richard Burgon, who was shadow justice secretary under Jeremy Corbyn, called the result "incredibly disappointing".

He tweeted: "Labour's leadership needs to urgently change direction. It should start by championing the popular policies in our recent manifestos - backed by a large majority of voters."

And the left-wing Momentum group, which backed Jeremy Corbyn, described it as a "disaster".

Image source, PA Media

Conservative Jill Mortimer wins the Hartlepool by-election, giving the seat to the Tories for the first time in more than 50 years.

The Conservatives have taken control of Northumberland County Council, with a majority of one.

A dead heat in two of the seats led to a ballot draw - effectively drawing straws - a repeat of the 2017 elections, at which the Tories then lost over all control.

Jill Mortimer, the newly elected Conservative MP for Hartlepool, called her by-election victory a "truly historic result".

Giving a victory speech after the result, she said: "I'm immensely proud to be the first Conservative MP in Hartlepool for 57 years.

"Not only that, I am the first woman ever to be elected as MP for this town.

"It is a truly historic result and a momentous day.

"Labour have taken people in Hartlepool for granted for too long.

"I heard this time and time again on the doorstep and people have had enough and now, through this result, the people have spoken and have made it clear it is time for change."

Image source, PA Media

Hartlepool has a Conservative MP for the first time since the constituency's creation after Jill Mortimer secured a by-election victory.

She beat Labour's Dr Paul Williams in a by-election which was triggered after Labour's Mike Hill stepped down.

Securing a 6,940 majority, winning 15,529 votes to Dr Williams' 8,589, she declared it a "truly historic result".

Image source, PA Media

Conservatives have won the Hartlepool by-election.

Labour had held the town since 1974.

Votes are still being counted in Northumberland.

Chris Mason
Political Correspondent

It is widely expected that Hartlepool will have a Conservative MP for the first time in more than 50 years when the by-election result comes in later.

It will be awkward for Sir Keir Starmer as Labour concedes another block in the so-called 'red wall' that has been bulldozed by the Conservatives since 2019.

Starmer has a tricky explaining job to do to members of his party.

And while it is just one by-election, it will contribute to changing the mood.

Crucially it will be hard, in a Westminster context, for Starmer to point to any sense of progress.

Fergus Hewison
BBC Newcastle political reporter

Labour avoids losing overall control of Sunderland City Council, but only just.

It finishes the night having lost nine seats.

The council political composition is now Labour 42, Conservatives 18 (up six), Liberal Democrats 12 (up four, UKIP three (no gains, not defending any seats).

Results and reaction from the Hartlepool by-election, PCC, council and Tees Valley Mayor counts.

Good morning and welcome to the start of our live coverage of the election results in the North East and Cumbria.

To start you off here is a round-up of what has happened overnight.

• The result of the Hartlepool by-election is expected to be declared shortly but Labour's shadow transport secretary, Jim McMahon, has already admitted defeat
• Labour have kept control of Sunderland City Council but lost nine seats
• Labour have also held Newcastle City Council, Gateshead Council and South Tyneside Council

Image source, PA Media

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