Labour Dealt Crushing By-Election Defeat in Hartlepool’s Throston Ward....

Election counting at Hartlepool's Mill House Leisure Centre

Labour dealt a crushing blow after former Parliamentary Candidate for Reform UK's Amanda Napper is finally elected as a town councillor.....

2nd May 2025

Former Parliamentary Candidate for Reform UK Amanda Napper won the council with 889 votes

The Hartlepool Labour Group are said to be 'licking their wounds' after a bruising by-election defeat in Hartlepool's Throston Ward, which seen Reform UK’s Amanda Napper storm to victory—delivering along with it a serious blow to Labour’s confidence in what was long considered a safe Labour council seat.

The by-election, triggered by the resignation of Labour councillor Cameron Sharp, was set to see Labour retain the seat, but again with a slight majority, party insiders said to have been 'confident' of holding the seat. But voters had other ideas, where in the early hours of this morning, Amanda Napper was officially declared the clear winner, taking 889 votes—more than double the 486 secured by Labour’s candidate Lyndsey Allen.

Labour could only sit & watch, as Reform UK stormed to victory in Yesterdays By-Election

It was a disastrous night too for the Conservatives, whose candidate, former councillor Veronica Nicholson, finished a distant third with just 151 votes. Her result has sparked speculation that the Tories could face further setbacks in next year’s local elections, with Hartlepool not holding any council-wide votes this year due to the existing election cycle.

Sources claim Labour's hopes of holding onto the Throston Ward seat were dashed when its claimed the postal votes were started to be tallied, revealing a significant swing toward Reform UK, with Voters seemingly determined to punish Labour at the ballot box—many citing frustration over national policies such as Labours cut to winter fuel payments, Council Taxes & cuts to welfare spending. Reform UK supporters speaking to Durham & Teesside Today in the early hours of this morning dismissed Labour’s past successes in Hartlepool as a "fluke", claiming public sentiment is shifting rapidly.

“There’s a real regret among voters about handing Labour back control of Hartlepool Borough Council and the parliamentary seat to Jonathan Brash,” one supporter said. “Had there been a full local election being held this year, Labour would likely have lost Hartlepool Borough Council again.”

As Reform UK continues to gain traction across the town, many now believe Labour’s grip on Hartlepool is weakening—and that their days in control of Hartlepool Borough Council could soon be over as the Reform tidal wave reportedly is set to continue !