Hartlepool Labour Party say they will not seek to form a coalition on the borough council following their mauling in the local elections.

Reform UK became the largest party on Hartlepool Borough Council with 15 councillors after winning all 12 available seats in Thursday’s vote.

Labour, who had control of the council for the last two years, lost several councillors including council leader Pamela Hargreaves.

The party now have 14 seats, meaning the local authority is currently in no overall control.

Labour say they will not seek to form a coalition council after their mauling at the polls by Reform, whose councillors and supporters are pictured above.

placeholder image — Labour say they will not seek to form a coalition council after their mauling at the polls by Reform, whose councillors and supporters are pictured above.

However, Labour have signaled they will not seek to form a coalition with any of the seven Independent councillors, paving the way for Reform to try to do so.

In a social media post on Friday afternoon Hartlepool Labour Party said: “Last night, Hartlepool handed Reform a mandate, and we respect that.

“Labour will not seek to form a coalition or cling on to office through deals behind closed doors.

“But we will scrutinise. We will challenge. And we will fight to protect the progress made over the last two years.”

The party added it understands the message sent to Labour more widely after the party lost hundreds of other council seats nationally.

Hartlepool Labour Party said: “You have spoken, and we are listening.

“We sincerely hope Reform succeeds for Hartlepool’s sake. But where reckless inexperience or grievance politics threatens the progress our town was beginning to make, Labour councillors will speak up loudly and clearly.”

As the results came in, Graham Harrison, chairman of the Reform group in Hartlepool, said the party succeeded because: “We’re not politicians, we’re just normal people and we’re here to help Hartlepool."