THE Conservatives have won the Hartlepool by-election, taking the constituency for the first time since it was created almost 50 years ago, with Jill Mortimer defeating Labour candidate Dr Paul Williams by 6940 votes.
Her 15,529 votes was 51.88% of those cast in the former Labour heartland.
A Labour source said leader Sir Keir Starmer would “take responsibility for these results” as the party looked on the verge of losing the Hartlepool by-election.
“We’ve said all along the North East and the Midlands would be difficult,” the source said.
READ MORE: Scotland reacts as Hartlepool goes Conservative: 'We need a lifeboat'
“We also said the places declaring Thursday would be particularly difficult.
“But the message from voters is clear and we have heard it – Labour has not yet changed nearly enough for voters to place their trust in us.
“We understand that. We are listening. And we will now redouble our efforts.
“Labour must now accelerate the programme of change in our party, to win back the trust and faith of working people across Britain.
“People don’t want to hear excuses. Keir has said he will take responsibility for these results – and he will take responsibility for fixing it and changing the Labour Party for the better.”
Momentum, the left-wing Labour group set up during Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, tweeted after the Hartlepool defeat: “This result is a disaster.
“In 2017, we won over 50% of the vote in Hartlepool. Now it looks like we’ve lost it to the Tories.
“A transformative socialist message has won in Hartlepool before, and it would have won again.”
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