It’s a constituency with glimmers of regeneration - but Stockton North residents say the next Government “has a mountain to climb.”
The area - home to the likes of Stockton town centre, Billingham, and Wolviston - continues to split opinion, having been branded as both “rundown” and a “lovely place to live.”
But, seven months after allegedly being labelled a “s**thole” by Home Secretary James Cleverly, residents are set to vote for Stockton’s future - with hopes to tackle big issues in the town including drugs, crime, homelessness, and child poverty.
Stockton North has remained a Labour stronghold since its inception, most recently being headed by former MP Alex Cunningham.
However, the former safe seat became marginal at the 2019 General Election after Mr Cunningham saw his majority slashed to just over 1,000.
He polled 17,728 votes - while opponent Conservative Steven Jackson just missed out with 16,701.
This year, the seat could be up in the air - although the Electoral Calculus predicts that Labour will hold on to the seat with a whopping 95% chance.
The Northern Echo headed out to Stockton town centre this week to speak to residents and businesses about what they want from the next Government.
“It’s a bit rundown at the moment,” Home Bargains store worker Ellen Percival admitted.
The 56-year-old explained: “More shops are closing and places are getting broken into. We need more police in the area and more security.
“I work in Home Bargains and there is no security down there - there are shoplifters left right and centre. It’s always been like that.”
Ellen, who has worked at the store for eight years, argued that the centre has “too many drug addicts and alcoholics."
Another issue raised by residents was knife crime - with Teesside as a whole recently topping the list for UK violent crime and being one of the highest in the country for knife crime rates.
Roseworth resident Linda Johnson, 74, said Stockton North would benefit from the likes of more affordable housing, a crackdown on knife crime, and support for those struggling with drugs, alcohol, or homelessness.
She said: “We need more support to try and get them off the streets - and we need more things for children. A Lot of them are getting into gangs and fighting with knives and all sorts.”
Linda, who lives with and cares for her son John, 53, said: “Children are frightened of being attacked so they are tempted to take a knife with them.”
She argued that more children should “give back to society” by doing things like volunteering.
People ‘don’t feel safe’
Claire Church, owner and manager of Remember Me Tea Rooms, said the next Government faces the task of changing perceptions and lived experience in the town.
“Every customer that comes in say they don’t feel safe coming to town,” the 48-year-old said.
“It’s just the unease people feel when they are here.”
Despite this, Claire admitted that business was steady, considering the the tearoom is currently just steps away from a metal fence as the regeneration of the former Castlegate Shopping Centre site continues.
While Stockton continues to see improvement in some areas, such as deprivation, domestic abuse related incidents and crimes, and total recorded crimes have increased since 2019, according to data on the council’s annual public health report.
Crime remains a key talking point, with carer Rachel Price admitting that people in the town “want all the riff-raff out” as she enjoyed a drink with 77-year-old Elizabeth Raw.
The 31-year-old said: “I set off for work at 6.30am and they are all around, sleeping rough in doorsteps… we need more affordable homes and more support for the homeless people.”
She also argued there should be more bobbies on the beat.
Elizabeth wasn’t familiar with ‘s**thole’ gate - when Mr Cleverly sparked outrage back in November for allegedly using the slur when describing the town.
But she did add: “He wasn’t really wrong. It is certainly not on the up.”
Mr Cleverly faced huge backlash following the incident - but denied he called the town a "s**thole." Instead, he apologised for using "unparliamentary language" and claimed he was actually calling Mr Cunningham a "s**t MP" instead.
At the time, Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen called the language used by the Home Secretary "childish" and "unprofessional".
The furore around the comment online sadly then went on to overshadow the important issue of child poverty - the question raised by Mr Cunningham when the incident allegedly took place.
Figures from the DWP showed that an estimated 7,176 (33.9%) of children in Stockton North were living in poverty in 2021/22 – of which 66% were living in working families.
Mr Cunningham, who has now retired, said everyone should "be ashamed of these statistics."
Time to 'reinvigorate' the High Street
John Christie, owner of popular micropub The Golden Smog, said he would like to see a Government that "supports local councils based on needs, regardless of which party."
He said he wants the next Government to "reinvigorate High Streets and support the arts, including small music venues... which gets more people out into town and through our doors!"
He told The Echo: "[I want them to] make it easier for people to get by in general, with a proper living wage, so they have a spare few quid to come out, see their mates, and have a few drinks.
"[I want to see] a level playing field between supermarkets and pubs (e.g. minimum unit pricing like in Scotland).
"People sitting at home [and] drinking alone is a bigger problem both physically and - most importantly - mental health wise that going to a pub and speaking to people."
Mr Christie also said he wants more support for police and councils to deal with anti-social behaviour, drugs, and violent crime to "make town centres feel safe for all."
‘Ghost town’ - or ‘lovely place to live’?
The centre of Stockton North - Stockton town centre - remained a major talking point for residents, who branded it as a “ghost town.”
The centre is currently in the midst of regeneration, which the recent demolition of the Castlegate Shopping Centre and the Swallow Hotel being the first step on the way to the new Stockton Waterfront park.
It will include a large-scale play area, a new amphitheatre, children’s play features, “totter trails”, a water play extension, climbing equipment, and a play area for older children.
Construction is also well underway for the NHS’ new Community Diagnostic Centre.
There’s also huge regeneration plans set for Billingham - with the council recently unveiling multi-million-pound plans for the town centre that would see the majority of the space around the West Precinct knocked down for new housing and shops.
Proud resident Roy Bradley said Stockton was quite the opposite of a s**thole - and in fact was a “lovely place to live.”
The 63-year-old said: “I want Labour to get in - and to get rid of the Tories. They have crippled this country - and Stockton - well and truly.”
Roy, who has lived here for 30 years, admitted that Labour “have a mountain to climb” if they succeed on July 4.
However, he argued that issues such as crime, and hospitals being in need of improvement, are not just issues seen on Teesside but in every part of the country too.
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Town centre changes were a big topic for residents, who argued that the centre had become a “ghost town” in the recent years.
One 55-year-old woman, who works as a domestic cleaner, said: “All the shops… there is nothing worth going for, unless you want a bank, charity shop, or vape shop.”
The Stockton resident said she wants the next Government to “help out and keep smaller businesses open” in a bid to keep the high street afloat.
The candidates for Stockton North this year are:
Jo Barton, Liberal Democrats
Samuel Ernest Bradford, Green Party
Niall Bell Innes, Conservative Party
John Gerard McDermottroe, Reform UK
Chris McDonald, Labour Party
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