The Rise and Fall of Steve Wallace: Labour’s Hartlepool Nightmare...
- teessidetoday
- May 31
- 6 min read
Cllr Steve Wallace resigned as a councillor for Hartlepool Borough Council on Friday 30th May, just months after being convicted of assault.
31st May 2025
Steve Wallace, the former Labour Councillor for Hartlepool’s Throston ward this week resigned, marking a spectacular fall from grace for a man once seen as a stalwart of the local Labour Party.
His departure, came just months after he was convicted for assault, something that not only ended his political career, but also cast a long shadow over Labour’s prospects in Hartlepool, potentially paving the way for Reform UK to seize yet another council seat. Whilst the political impact may be largely ceremonial, the symbolic damage to Labour is profound, underscoring the fragility of their grip on the borough.
A Promising Start in Hartlepool Politics
Steve Wallace’s political journey began in what is believed to be the early to mid-2000s, when he served as a Labour councillor in Hartlepool. During this period, he was regarded as a high-flyer within the local party, known for his dedication and ability to connect with the community. His political acumen earned him a significant role as the personal assistant to Peter Mandelson, the influential former Labour MP for Hartlepool and a towering figure in New Labour’s heyday. Working closely with Mandelson, Wallace was at the heart of Labour’s operations in the town, helping to solidify its dominance in a region long considered a Labour stronghold.
Beyond politics, Wallace was also involved in several community initiatives, notably serving as a director of the childcare centre Ready Steady Grow, a company aimed at supporting local families.
His involvement in civic life extended to prominent roles on committees, including those linked to the North Tees & Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust and Cleveland Police, where he contributed to discussions on public safety and healthcare. These positions bolstered his reputation as a committed public servant, seemingly destined for a long and successful career.
A Shocking Fall from Grace that no-one ever expected
Wallace’s return to Hartlepool Borough Council in May 2023, when he was elected as a Labour councillor for Throston ward, was meant to mark a triumphant political comeback for the once long serving town councillor. However, his victory was set to be 'short-lived'. Just weeks after his election, Wallace faced a devastating blow: an allegation of sexual assault that rocked the local political scene.
The accusation, which surfaced in the summer of 2023 and was said, according to sources to have involved another Labour Councillor, led to his immediate suspension from the Labour Party, forcing him to serve the remainder of his term as an independent councillor.
Whilst details surrounding the allegation remain sparse, with little public information about the circumstances of the incident. What is known is that Wallace was eventually charged with sexual assault and appeared at Teesside Magistrates’ Court in January 2024, where he pleaded not guilty, electing instead for a trial by jury at Teesside Crown Court. The case was then later moved to York Crown Court due to concerns his status as an elected councillor meant he wouldn't get a fair trial, and in January 2025, just as the trial was set to begin, the prosecution dropped the sexual assault charge. Instead, Wallace pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of assault by beating, also known as common assault. He was fined £200 and ordered to pay £500 in compensation to the victim.
While the plea deal allowed Wallace to avoid a potential prison sentence—and the automatic disqualification from public office that would have followed under the Local Government Act 1972—the conviction was the death knell for his political career. Speaking after the court case to a local newspaper, Wallace expressed 'disappointment' and indicated "he would reflect on his future as a councillor". His eventual resignation just four months later in May 2025, confirmed that his once-unblemished career now lay in ruins.
Labour’s Worst Nightmare
Whilst many claim Labour was in the right for quickly suspending the former town councillor especially in the aftermath of the Mike Hill MP Sexual Assault Scandal, The fallout from Wallace’s resignation has sent shockwaves through Hartlepool’s political landscape. His departure has triggered yet another by-election in the towns Throston ward, the second in the area within weeks, following the resignation of Labour councillor Cameron Sharp in March 2025. The timing could not be worse for Labour, which is already said to be reeling from recent electoral setbacks in the borough. In the previous Throston by-election on May 1, 2025, Reform UK’s Amanda Napper secured a decisive victory with 889 votes, nearly doubling Labour’s tally of 486. This result underscored Reform UK’s growing momentum in Hartlepool, a town once synonymous with Labour loyalty but now increasingly slipping from their grasp once more.
The upcoming by-election is widely expected to deliver another Reform UK victory, further eroding Labour’s influence. Whilst the loss of one council seat may be ceremonial in terms of overall control—Labour remains the largest party on Hartlepool Borough Council—the symbolic damage is immense. Hartlepool, once a cornerstone of Labour’s “red wall,” has become a battleground where the party’s dominance is no longer assured. The 2021 parliamentary by-election, which saw the Conservatives claim the seat for the first time since 1974, and Reform UK’s recent local gains highlight a broader shift in voter sentiment that Labour cant seem to stem, with Wallace’s scandal only deepening Labour’s woes. Some within the party itself claim the sexual assault allegation, which set the ball rolling on his downfall, may have been leveraged by party insiders to destabilize Labour’s position in Hartlepool as the moderate centrists appear to once again be at loggerheads with their more left wing radicals. Whilst seemingly little evidence substantiates these claims, the timing of the allegation—just weeks after Wallace’s election—has fuelled much speculation about labours internal struggles to keep its waring factions appeased. Regardless of the truth, the scandal has painted Labour once again as a party plagued by controversy, struggling to maintain its moral authority in a town where trust in politics is already frayed.
The Beginning of the End for Labour in Hartlepool?
Wallace’s resignation is more than just a personal tragedy; it’s a stark reminder of Labour’s precarious position in Hartlepool. The party’s near-miss in securing an overall majority in the 2023 local elections, coupled with the loss of key seats to Reform UK and the Conservatives, suggests that their control of Hartlepool Borough Council may indeed have been an electoral fluke. Reform UK’s rise, capitalising on voter disillusionment with traditional parties, poses a significant threat. A second by-election win in Throston would not only humiliate Labour in what was once considered one of their political strongholds, but also signal that the party’s grip on its heartland is slipping even further.
For Steve Wallace, the journey from Labour stalwart to disgraced independent councillor is a cautionary tale of how quickly fortunes can change in politics. Once a trusted aide to Peter Mandelson and a respected community figure, his legacy is now tainted by scandal. For Labour, his downfall is a grim portent of the challenges ahead as they fight to retain relevance in a town that seems increasingly ready to turn its back on them.
As Hartlepool braces for another by-election, all eyes will be on whether Reform UK can deliver the final blow to Labour’s fading dominance. The stakes are high, but the outcome will reverberate far beyond Throston ward, shaping the future of politics in this beleaguered port town.
