RECAP: Prime Minister Boris Johnson visits Hartlepool after Conservative Jill Mortimer becomes town's new 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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Hide AdPrime Minister Mr Johnson paid a visit to Hartlepool on Friday afternoon to meet with Mrs Mortimer and congratulate her on winning the election.
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
8am: ‘I will not let you down’ - Jill Mortimer on election win
Jill Mortimer has spoken of her pride after being elected as Hartlepool’s new MP, calling her win as a ‘truly historic result and a momentous day.’
The town’s new Conservative MP, who won by nearly 7,000 votes, said: “I’m incredibly proud of the campaign my team and I have run in Hartlepool.
“It’s based on local issues of real concern to the community here and I would like to thank all the people of this town who have responded so positively to it.
“I’m also immensely proud to be the first Conservative MP in Hartlepool for 57 years not only that I’m the first woman ever to be elected as MP for this town.
“It’s a truly historic result and a momentous day.
“I’m going to work tirelessly for Hartlepool and I will not let you down.”
8.13am: Hartlepool’s new MP Jill Mortimer reacts to election win
Hartlepool’s new MP Jill Mortimer has been speaking to Mail reporter Kevin Clark following her election win.
The Conservative MP said: “I am a bit overwhelmed, it is still sinking in!
“I am hugely proud to be given this fantastic honour by the people of Hartlepool.
“Thank you to them for putting their trust in me. I will do everything I can to repay that trust.”
8.18am: Hartlepool’s new MP set to make town her home following win
Hartlepool’s new MP has declared that she will be moving to live in the town following her election win.
Jill Mortimer confirmed that she would be buying a home in the town ‘without a doubt.’
"My focus is 'Let's make this town what it can be because it is fantastic and I will be coming to live here,” she said.
“I will have a home in Hartlepool without doubt.
“I will be going to the estate agent, probably this weekend."
8.30am: New MP promises to ‘speak to medics’ about A&E services in Hartlepool
Hartlepool’s new MP Jill Mortimer has promised to ‘speak to medics’ about restoring A & E services at the University Hospital of Hartlepool during a press conference following her win.
She said: “I need to talk to the medics, talk to the community.
“I have met some lovely people who are involved with local hospital groups.
“Hopefully they will get in touch and we can make a plan and find out what is needed.”
8.50am Jill Mortimer speaks to the media
New MP Jill Mortimer has been speaking to the media outside of the Hartlepool war memorial following her election win. Here is a picture from the scene.
9am: Residents react to new MP
Hartlepool residents have started to react to the news that the town now has a new Conservative MP.
Dawn Sorovic, 41, who runs Kosa hairdressers has welcomed the news, saying that the town is ‘ready for a change’ .
She said: “I am very happy about it.
“I think the town has been very neglected and we are more than ready for change.
“I think the people of Hartlepool want to see some improvement.
“We are going to give Boris a free haircut the next time he is in town."
9.04am: Defeated Labour candidate Paul Williams congratulates winner
Labour’s defeated Hartlepool candidate Dr Paul Williams has congratulated Jill Mortimer on becoming the town’s new MP.
He tweeted: “A massive thank you to everyone in Hartlepool who voted for me, and to the incredible Labour volunteers who worked so hard.
“#Congrats to Jill Mortimer. I’m off to do the important job now of taking the kids to school.”
9.06am: Shadow schools minister reacts to Labour candidate defeat in Hartlepool
Shadow schools minister Wes Streeting tweeted: “I’m so sorry for @PaulWilliamsLAB and the brilliant team who’ve been slogging their guts out in Hartlepool in recent weeks.
“Our leadership has changed for the better, but the voters aren’t convinced that Labour has too.
“This is a huge and urgent task. Keir gets it. So must we.”
9.17am: Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland MP reacts to Jill Mortimer result
Following the Hartlepool result, Simon Clarke, Tory MP for nearby Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, tweeted: “The alienation people in towns like Hartlepool feel from Labour runs very deep.
“The attempt to steamroller their vote to leave the EU – led by the likes of @Keir_Starmer – will not be forgotten or forgiven, and stripped away all illusion that this was their party anymore.”
9.19am: ‘It was a shock’ - Hartlepool resident reacts to new MP
Joanne Thomas, 52, runs optician Pagan and McQuade, and admits to being a big Boris Johnson fan: " I am shocked," she said.
"If you cut this town down the middle, it bled Labour for ever.
“It was a shock result but personally I went 'Yeah', because Hartlepool has been mentioned on the telly God knows how many times."
