Bridget Phillipson has been reelected as Labour MP for Houghton and Sunderland South.

The Labour Shadow Education Secretary could soon be running the Department for Education if Sir Keir Starmer's party secure the thumping majority predicted by the exit poll.

She secured 18,847 votes, almost 47.07% of the votes.

All eyes were on the North East to see which constituency was first to declare with Houghton and Sunderland South taking the crown.

Ms Phillipson, who will now expect to be in Sir Keir’s first Cabinet, added: “Tonight the British people have spoken and if the exit poll this evening is again a guide to results across our country – as it so often is – then after 14 years the British people have chosen change.

“They have chosen Labour and they have chosen the leadership of Keir Starmer. Today our country with its proud history has chosen a brighter future.”

(Image: NORTH NEWS)

“My message to the people of Houghton and Sunderland South is that however you voted, or whether you didn’t vote at all, I will serve you everyday working on the commitments that we have set out.

“I will be a visible, accessible local MP and will make sure the people of Houghton and Sunderland South have their voice heard at the heart of government”.

The MP also said it would be “the honour of my life” to serve as education secretary in a Labour government and she set out three main priorities.

This included “getting more teachers in our classrooms, delivering universal free breakfast clubs for our primary school children and providing better support for our young people and their mental health”.

But it was Reform who came second with 11,668 votes.

Runner-up Sam Woods-Brass said the result was not the end for Reform UK and that the “sky was the limit”, with the party being “on the way up”.

The Reform UK candidate, who is also a town councillor on Hetton Town Council, said: “I’m feeling ecstatic with the result itself

“This is the first General Election for Reform UK and what we set out to be was the opposition.

“Policies may be controversial to the public but to give an actual opposition to the national standard of what has been put out there from Labour, we are the only opposition.

“We have proved this tonight to show that people who voted for what they have wanted, whether it’s gone Labour or Reform, they’ve voted from the heart.

“It’s all I can ask for and I feel great to be part of that for this year”.

Conservative candidate Chris Burnicle added he was “disappointed to lose” but that he “remains committed to serving the St Chad’s ward as councillor”.

He added: “Thank you to all who came out to vote.
“Your support and engagement are vital to our democratic process”.

The constituency turnout this year was also 51.2%, a decrease from 58% in the 2019 General Election.

(Image: NORTH NEWS)

Full results for Houghton and Sunderland South

GRN- Richard Bradley: 1,723
CON - Chris Burnicle: 5,514
LD - Paul Edgeworth: 2,290
LAB - Bridget Phillipson: 18,847
REF - Sam Woods-Brass: 11,668