Hartlepool byelection - Conservatives WIN
Jill Mortimer has made HISTORY for the Tories - taking a seat held by Labour since 1974
Last updated 7th May 2021
The results are in and it's a huge decision for Hartlepool. Conservative Jill Mortimer has made history in becoming the town's first ever Tory MP.
Here's the numbers then:
Tory - Jill Mortimer WIN - 15,529
Labour - Dr Paul Williams - 8,589
Other candidates, around 14 of them, shared the other votes.
Turnout around 42.5% - around 30,000.
Forth 1's colleagues in the North East were at the count last night at the Leisure Centre:
So to recap - Hartlepool has turned BLUE!
Jill Mortimer, a North Yorkshire farmer, a former Teesside Uni law student fought off all competiton and wrestled control of the seat away from Labour.
The new MP is promising to "build back better in Hartlepool".
That result is one of many expected today.