Election results roll in across Teesside

There's a wave of Blue across Teesside today - as the Conservative Party take Labour's historic seat of Hartlepool - and tighten their grip on the Tees Valley.

The Prime Minister Boris Johnson has today described the election results for his Conservative party as "Very encouraging" as North Yorkshire farmer Jill Mortimer has been elected as Hartlepool's new MP.

Jill Mortimer won the seat with a majority of nearly 7-thousand votes, beating Labour rival Dr Paul Williams.

The Conservatives overturned a majority of 3,500 at the general election to take the seat - which had been Labour-held since it was formed in 1974 - with a majority of 6,940.

The Prime Minister has been visiting the Royal Navy Museum in Hartlepool this afternoon - to celebrate Jill Mortimer's win.

When quizzed about why he felt the party had done so well in the elections, both here and around the country, Mr Johnson said;

"The Conservative Party is the party which tries to bring people together, but also the party which tries to give families the hope of better jobs, better schools, of home ownership.

"And believes in uniting and levelling up and taking the country forward."

A 30ft inflatable of the Prime Minister has been blown up above Jacksons Wharf in Hartlepool, near where Mr Johnson held his press conference.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said he will do "whatever is necessary'' to rebuild trust in Labour following its "bitterly disappointing'' defeat in the by-election.

The bruising result - described as absolutely shattering'' by one shadow cabinet minister - prompted calls from across the party for a change of direction.

"I'm bitterly disappointed in the result and I take full responsibility for the results - and I will take full responsibility for fixing this,'' he said.

"We have changed as a party but we haven't set out a strong enough case to the country.

"Very often we have been talking to ourselves instead of to the country and we have lost the trust of working people, particularly in places like Hartlepool.

"I intend to do whatever is necessary to fix that.''

Jill Mortimer is not only the first ever woman to represent Hartlepool, but the first Conservative to take on the role since the constituency was established in 1974.

Elsewhere in the Teesside local election results, Conservative Ben Houchen has been re-elected as the Tees Valley Mayor for a second term.

Ben Houchen first took up the role in 2017, today he beat Labour's Jessie Joe Jacobs to the position, in what is being called a landslide victory for the Conservatives.

The turn out for this election was 33.95%.

Speaking to us in Thornaby, where the count took place, Mr Houchen said he still has lots of work to do:

"It's been the privilege of a lifetime to be able to represent the area where I was born, grew up, got my first job, met my wife, where I live.

"You know, any politician would be lying to you if it wasn't a dream of theirs to be able to represent their local area,

"And I can honestly be happy and pleased with what I've delivered - I don't think we could have done more in the last four years."

Meanwhile, the results for the Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner have also returned, from Stockton's Thornaby Pavilion.

Conservative Steve Turner won, receiving more than 74 000 votes.

Stockton Council tell us the full turnout for the Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner election was 33.7%

We are expecting results for the Durham Police and Crime Commissioner, which is expected to return over the weekend.