RECAP: Prime Minister Boris Johnson visits Hartlepool after Conservative Jill Mortimer becomes town's new MP

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has come to Hartlepool to celebrate the victory of Jill Mortimer as the town’s new Conservative MP.
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The Conservative candidate received nearly 7,000 votes to secure a resounding victory just after 7am on Friday, May 7.

Her election as the town’s MP breaks Labour’s 57-year Parliamentary stranglehold on the town.

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Prime Minister Mr Johnson paid a visit to Hartlepool on Friday afternoon to meet with Mrs Mortimer and congratulate her on winning the election.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is in Hartlepool where he has met with the town’s new Conservative MP Jill Mortimer.Prime Minister Boris Johnson is in Hartlepool where he has met with the town’s new Conservative MP Jill Mortimer.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is in Hartlepool where he has met with the town’s new Conservative MP Jill Mortimer.

Meanwhile Conservative candidate Steve Turner has been elected as the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for the Cleveland Police Force area after receiving 74,023 votes – more than 50% of the total valid first preference votes cast.

Keep logging on here for constant updates, reaction and analysis.

Hartlepool by-election

Key Events

  • Hartlepool voters have taken part in four elections on May 6
  • They have voted for a new MP, crime commissioner, Tees Valley Mayor and 36 borough councillors
  • Jill Mortimer is Hartlepool’s new MP after winning by nearly 7,000 votes
  • We will be with you up until and beyond the result with reaction and analysis

The 57 polling stations across Hartlepool have closed.

Votes for all four elections - to choose a new MP, police and crime commissioner, Tees Valley mayor and 36 Hartlepool borough councillors - will now be taken to the Mill House Leisure Centre to be verified.

This means voters’ personal details need to be checked before counting can begin.

Remember, however, that it is only the by-election votes which will be counted this evening.

It’s still going to be a long night.

10.15pm: The waiting game

The counting teams at Hartlepool’s Mill House Leisure Centre are waiting for the votes to arrive. The counting teams at Hartlepool’s Mill House Leisure Centre are waiting for the votes to arrive.
The counting teams at Hartlepool’s Mill House Leisure Centre are waiting for the votes to arrive.

Dr Paul Williams was second favourite at 6/1 with Northern Independence Party candidate Thelma Walker third favourite at 100/1.

The remaining 13 candidates were 200/1 bar.

10.30pm: What the favourites say

Despite William Hill’s verdict, a Tory source said it was “looking tough in Hartlepool” as “Labour have flooded the area with activists”.

Conservative staff had been encouraged to use spare time on Thursday evening to make calls for the candidate Jill Mortimer.

The source said there was a “mixed picture in elections across the country” and suggested Labour had “done really well on their expectation management”.

11.05pm: No time to be Mill-ing around

Counting teams hard at work at the Mill House Leisure Centre. Counting teams hard at work at the Mill House Leisure Centre.
Counting teams hard at work at the Mill House Leisure Centre.

11.17pm: Who’s leading the way?

Meet Gino the cockapoo as he ponders who to vote for earlier on Thursday. We’ve more pictures of Hartlepool voters - and their dogs - here.

Gino the Cockapoo seems eager to vote at the polling station at Hartlepool United Supporters’ Club earlier on Thursday.  Gino the Cockapoo seems eager to vote at the polling station at Hartlepool United Supporters’ Club earlier on Thursday.
Gino the Cockapoo seems eager to vote at the polling station at Hartlepool United Supporters’ Club earlier on Thursday.

Here’s a reminder of the outcome in Hartlepool at the last General Election in 2019.

Mike Hill (Labour) 15,464;

Stefan Houghton (Conservative) 11,869;

Richard Tice (The Brexit Party) 10,603;

Andy Hagon (Liberal Democrats) 1,696;

Joe Bousfield (Independent) 911;

Kevin Cranney (Socialist Labour) 494.

Labour triumphed by 3,595 votes.

11.45pm: “It’s going to be tough” says top Tory

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said it would be “remarkable” if the Conservatives have won the Hartlepool by-election.

The Cabinet minister told Sky News: “It is exceptionally rare for governments to win by-elections off the opposition – it is even rare for governments to hold their own seats in by-elections.

“So the idea that the Conservatives after 11 years in power would be able to win a seat that has been held by the Labour Party for 40 or 50 years is remarkable.

“It is going to be very tough, we will have to see what happens later in the evening.

“But if it is even close, I would say that is a really serious indictment of Keir Starmer.”

11.48pm: All the ballots are now in

Hartlepool Borough Council managing director Denise McGuckin has just announced that all the ballots are now in.

The first ballot boxes arriving earlier in the evening at the Mill House Leisure Centre. The first ballot boxes arriving earlier in the evening at the Mill House Leisure Centre.
The first ballot boxes arriving earlier in the evening at the Mill House Leisure Centre.