General Election 2024: New Hartlepool MP Jonathan Brash gives his first interview after Labour regain Conservative-held seat

The Labour candidate, who has represented Burn Valley ward on Hartlepool Borough Council since 2021, was declared the winner at just after 2.15am on Friday at Mill House Leisure Centre with a majority of 7,698 votes.

He received 16, 414 votes with Reform UK representative Amanda Napper in second with 8,716 votes and Conservative Jill Mortimer, who previously held the MP position following her historic 2021 by-election victory, in third with 7,767 votes.

Labour had held the parliamentary position in the town for 57 years prior to Mrs Mortimer’s success three years ago, which saw her become the first Conservative MP to serve the town since naval hero Commander John Kerans quit ahead of the 1964 General Election.

Cllr Brash was able to regain the position for Labour at the first time of asking, with the candidate overturning the Conservative majority of 6,940 votes recorded in May 2021.

Speaking after his triumph was confirmed, Cllr Brash said he was “enormously proud” to be elected and “the work starts now”.

He continued: “I grew up here and my kids are growing up here, and so it’s an enormous privilege that I’m now elected as Member of Parliament.

“I want my hometown to be a place where my children can grow up with opportunities, where the streets are safe, where the public services are strong, and that’s what we’ve got to work for now,

“Hartlepool is crying out for change, we’ve got a new Labour government that is going to deliver on the promises it made and I am just absolutely ready to get down to work for the people of this town”.

He added his priorities include providing “good well paid jobs” in Hartlepool, getting the NHS “back on its feet” and returning services to the town’s hospital, making streets safer and providing more opportunities for young people.

Conservative Mrs Mortimer said it has been “the absolutely privilege and honour” of her life to serve as Hartlepool MP and she is “not going anywhere”.

She added: “I love Hartlepool now, I’m part of its history, I was the first female MP here and hopefully that will show people that there is a way forward.

“Hartlepool is a wonderful, wonderful place and I hope that I’ve done a little bit to let the people in the outside world know that.”

She added she was proud of her work in securing a “future for the nuclear site” in the town and helping to secure more than £16million from the Levelling Up Fund for the new Screen Industries Production Village in Hartlepool.

In total eight candidates stood in the polls, with independent Sam Lee coming in fourth, followed by Green Party, Liberal Democrat, Workers Party of Britain and Heritage Party candidates.

The parliamentary success comes after Labour took overall control of Hartlepool Borough Council in May’s local elections for the first time since 2019.

Cllr Brash added he will be “a partner in Westminster working with the new Labour government to try and deliver and make things better for people here in Hartlepool”.

The voter turnout in Hartlepool was 49.83% compared to 42.55% at the 2021 by-election and 58.08% at the last General Election in 2019.