Labour make gains throughout the Red Wall in local elections

The political dynamic of the Tees Valley flipped on its head as Labour took control of councils it lost back in 2019.

It was a story of devastating losses for the Tories whose work to make historic gains in the region four years ago was all but reversed.

Read more: Local Elections 2023 Analysis: Labour on track to take back the red wall

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the results showed Labour was “on course for a majority at the next general election”.

Early victories overnight on Thursday (May 4) included Labour becoming the largest party in Hartlepool, missing out on a majority by just two single ballots. The result came as a bitter blow to the Conservatives who won the parliamentary seat there in a 2021 by-election.

And in Middlesbrough Independent Mayor and Tory ally Andy Preston was ousted by Labour’s candidate Chris Cooke by just 790 votes.

All eyes were on Darlington as the Tories lost control of the council with their vote collapsing from 22 to 14 seats. Now-former leader Jonathan Dulston said the results were “really disappointing” and came on the backdrop of “national issues that [the Conservative Party] haven’t quite got a grip of yet”.

Labour then went on to take majority control of Middlesbrough Council.

Mr Starmer said: “Make no mistake, we are on course for a Labour majority at the next general election.

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“We’ve changed our party. We’ve won the trust, the confidence of voters, and now we can go on to change our country. Change is possible. A better Britain is possible.”

Sir Keir Starmer (Image: PA)

In Stockton the Conservatives became the largest party on the council with 23 seats so far, although failed to reach the threshold of 29 needed for a majority. The Labour Party, which has 22 seats so far, had been in minority control since 2019.

Final results and, which party will be the largest, will be decided during a by-election in June after the death of a candidate delayed the vote in one ward.

In Redcar and Cleveland results will be clarified on Tuesday (May 9) after the Longbeck ward was recounted with no winner announced.

The results will change the dynamic of the Tees Valley Combined Authority, headed by Tory Mayor Ben Houchen, as its cabinet is made up of the leaders of the area’s five councils – Darlington, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool, Stockton, and Redcar and Cleveland.

It could mean Mr Houchen struggles to push through new policies for the final year of his current term.

Ben Houchen told the Echo: “It was clear that this was going to be a tough set of elections and there is no getting away from that fact.

“What this truly represents is yet another wake up call to the party nationally that people are not happy and they need to sort themselves out. We won’t be given any longer to get it right.

“Here across Teesside, Darlington, and Hartlepool we’ll keep cracking on delivering good quality local jobs. That’s what I was elected to do and what is happening around me won’t deter me from doing what I said I would.

“When I was first elected in 2017 all five local leaders were from the Labour Party. I showed that I could get things done for our area working across party lines, and I am looking forward to working positively with the new leaders to deliver for our area.”

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Labour also held their councils across all five councils in Tyne and Wear – Newcastle, Gateshead, Sunderland, North Tyneside and South Tyneside.

Nationally, with more than 200 local authorities of 230 holding votes having declared (as of 7pm on Friday) the Conservatives had shed 41 local authorities and more than 760 councillors.

Labour had gained 19 councils across the country, while the Lib Dems picked up nine and the Greens gained one.

A Labour spokesperson said: "These are important results for Labour here in the Tees Valley. Winning back the Middlesbrough mayoralty, a majority on the council and hugely significant gains in Darlington and Hartlepool.

"The people have sent Rishi Sunak's Tories a real message.

"Our campaign has shown that Labour has a plan to tackle the cost of living crisis, to tackle crime, and to tackle NHS waiting lists.

"We have answers, we offer an alternative, we have shown that change is possible."