Political Earthquake As Labour Crashes Out Of Power at Hartlepool Borough Council...
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Election Shockwave As Reform UK win Landslide Victory in Hartlepool/
8th May 2026
Labour sensationally crashed out of control of Hartlepool Borough Council in the early hours of this morning, following a dramatic local election result which saw Reform UK sweep through every contested ward in the town.
In what's likely to be viewed as one of Labour’s most damaging local defeats in Hartlepool for years, Reform UK won all 12 council seats contested, leaving Labour without control of the council chamber and forcing it into no overall control.
Because only part of the council was up for election, its claimed Reform does not yet hold an outright majority, with the party now expected to enter into negotiations with the remaining six independents in taking leading role in shaping the future direction of the troubled Teesside council which in 2023 was declared an authority with no public confidence. .
Labour Party officials could only watch on in horror as Reform candidates defeated them ward after ward, with the result signalling a major political shift in a town that's already seen years of volatility inside the council chamber, with the outcome meaning Labour’s grip on Hartlepool Borough Council was shattered opening the door to a new balance of power between Reform UK councillors and independents.
The election result is likely to bring significant changes at a council already facing serious budget and political pressures, with Hartlepool Borough Council previously projecting a forecast budget gap of up to £9 million pounds for the 2026/27 financial year, with children’s social care described as one of the biggest pressures and spending on children’s services now £20 million higher than four years ago.
Labour Council Leader Lost Her Seat to Reform Candidate...
Hartlepool MP Jonathan Brash could only watch on in disbelief, as his wife, Pamela Hargreaves, lost her seat to a reform candidate Ronnie Buglass standing in the towns Manor House Ward as Labour suffered one of its worst election defeats in decades. .
The pressure on Labour nationally is now expected to intensify, with Reform UK making huge gains in a number of areas and positioning itself as a serious challenger in parts of the country where Labour had previously expected to remain dominant. Reform however now faces the challenge of proving it can move from opposition campaigning to responsible decision-making, particularly at a council facing difficult choices over spending, services and council tax, with renewed calls for transparency around council finances, including Hartlepool Borough Councils wider spending decisions, transfers of public funds to other local councils and how it intends to balance the books without placing further financial pressure on residents.
With another round of local elections due in 2027, the now Leaderless & Directionless Labour Group faces the prospect of even further losses unless it can rebuild public trust in the town. For now, however, the message from voters appears clear: Hartlepool's delivered a political earthquake, and Labour’s control of the council looks to have come to an end.
Election Results in Full....
Burn Valley
Reform UK win
Graham Harrison(Reform UK)847(41.1%)
Owen Craig Riddle(Labour)740(35.9%)
India Robertson(Green Party)252(12.2%)
Bryan Thompson(Conservative)165(8.0%)
Lucas Hennells-Barber(Liberal Democrats)57(2.8%)
De Bruce
Reform UK win
Nick Anderson(Reform UK)1,080(60.0%)
Rachel Jayne Creevy(Labour)459(25.5%)
Jasmine Jade Khan(Green Party)146(8.1%)
Lydia Dorelle Waller(Conservative)114(6.3%)
Fens & Greatham
Reform UK win
Dave Bruce(Reform UK)1,226(46.6%)
Mark Joseph Hanson(Labour)857(32.6%)
Bob Buchan(Conservative)373(14.2%)
Lisa Marie Arnell(Green Party)173(6.6%)
Foggy Furze
Reform UK win
Rob Stevenson(Reform UK)1,001(47.4%)
Melanie Morley(Labour)470(22.3%)
Connor Stallard(Liberal Democrats)324(15.3%)
Mike Cherrington(Green Party)163(7.7%)
Christopher Groves(Conservative)154(7.3%)
Hart
Reform UK win
Brian Cowie(Reform UK)1,128(45.3%)
Jake Ethan Swinburne(Labour)535(21.5%)
Rob Cook(Independent)205(8.2%)
Michael Brookes(Green Party)189(7.6%)
David Nicholson(Conservative)186(7.5%)
Jo Banks(Independent)132(5.3%)
Stuart Alan Campbell(Independent)68(2.7%)
Barry McKinstray(Liberal Democrats)46(1.8%)
Headland & Harbour
Reform UK win
Scott Gaitey(Reform UK)1,150(53.0%)
Amanda Davis(Labour)549(25.3%)
Jessica Louise Ingham(Green Party)223(10.3%)
John Mawhinney(Conservative)175(8.1%)
Nathan Maddison McLauchlan(Liberal Democrats)73(3.4%)
Manor House
Reform UK win
Ronald Buglass(Reform UK)1,041(66.3%)
Pamela Claire Hargreaves(Labour)354(22.6%)
Tom Casey(Green Party)174(11.1%)
Rossmere
Reform UK win
Christine Wiley(Reform UK)1,017(64.4%)
Moss Boddy(Labour)307(19.5%)
Matthew James Hartley(Green Party)144(9.1%)
Veronica Nicholson(Conservative)110(7.0%)
Rural West
Reform UK win
Richie Hughes(Reform UK)1,309(43.2%)
Thomas Cassidy(Conservative)840(27.7%)
Sara Kadry Mohamed Hamouda(Labour)578(19.1%)
Simon Niall Crute(Green Party)304(10.0%)
Seaton
Reform UK win
Peter Storey(Reform UK)1,062(45.4%)
Nicholas Brian Cain(Labour)486(20.8%)
Gordon Cranney(Independent)410(17.5%)
Mia Brown(Green Party)167(7.1%)
John Harrison(Conservative)148(6.3%)
Michael Noppen(Liberal Democrats)65(2.8%)
Throston
Reform UK win
Amanda Elizabeth Napper(Reform UK)1,012(53.4%)
Jack Adam Callaghan(Labour)550(29.0%)
Ewan Dawson Train(Green Party)132(7.0%)
Margaret Lyall(Conservative)125(6.6%)
Samuel Allan Carr(Liberal Democrats)77(4.1%)
Victoria
Reform UK win
Adam Gaines(Reform UK)766(43.5%)
Gary Allen(Labour)553(31.4%)
Connor James Dorian(Green Party)319(18.1%)
Rodney Pangbourne(Conservative)123(7.0%)
