Analysis: This could be the end of Labour dominance of North East councilspublished at 11:41 BST
11:41 BST
Richard Moss
Political editor, North East & Cumbria
Decades of Labour
domination in some of the North East’s councils could end today.
The rise of Reform UK
poses the biggest challenge to the party yet in authorities it has led for more
than 50 years. But it’s not the only one – the Greens have also been looking to
peel off Labour voters.
Labour’s poor national
poll ratings could not have come at a worse time. The usual pattern is for only
a third of seats to be elected in any one year, but boundary changes have
forced an all-out election for the first time since 2004 in four of Tyne and Wear’s councils. That maximises the potential for change.
Sunderland is Reform’s
top target – a council Labour has held for 52 years. It currently has no
councillors. That will certainly change, but Nigel Farage has been clear that
he does not just want to dent Labour’s hold. He wants to win the city that
played such a symbolic role in the 2016 Brexit referendum.
But Gateshead is another
potential prize, another council Labour has controlled since 1974. Reform has
had no representation until now. but are confident of doing well. The
Liberal Democrats, who have been the main opposition will want to make an impact
too.
In South Tyneside,
Greens and Independents have been the main opposition to a Labour
administration that lost its majority in the council chamber in the run-up to
the elections. Labour are likely to fall further back, but it is also another
potential Reform target.
Image source, PA Media