Labour loses traditional northern heartlands to Tories

Labour’s great red wall across the north of England appears to have crumbled to dust in the face of a relentless Conservative advance in this pivotal General Election. 

The first sign of cracks came at Blyth Valley, outside Newcastle, 30 minutes before midnight when it fell to the Conservatives for the first time in 45 years. 

Darlington, a north-eastern Labour stronghold since 1992, followed it through the breach with the Vale of Clwyd, a Labour stronghold for 79 years, and Wrexham, which had stood behind the red rose since 1935.

And as the clock ticked past 1.30am Labour’s red wall disintegrated into dust as the Don Valley, which had backed the party for almost a century, Scunthorpe, which had been Labour since its creation, and Workington, said to symbolise the working man, were all dyed a deep shade of blue.

The carnage for the Labour party continued past 3.30am hours as Sedgefield, which Tony Blair once held by a majority of 25,000, Bassetlaw, which had been red for 84 years, and Beast of Bolsover Dennis Skinner, who had represented the constituency for 49 years, were all defeated.

At 5.02am the Conservative party was declared victorious. 

Supporters cheer at Blyth Valley after it turned blue for the first time in more than 40 years

Labour party bigwigs have already accused the right-wing press and Brexit for causing Labour's defeat. (Pictured: A devastated Corbyn announcing that he would not lead the party into another election in North Islington)

Labour party bigwigs have already accused the right-wing press and Brexit for causing Labour’s defeat. (Pictured: A devastated Corbyn announcing that he would not lead the party into another election in North Islington)

The breached red wall: Conservative gains inside Labour's red wall are marked in dark blue. Gains by other parties are also highlighted in their party colour

The breached red wall: Conservative gains inside Labour’s red wall are marked in dark blue. Gains by other parties are also highlighted in their party colour

Television cameras caught cheers and whoops of joy from former Labour strongholds as they fell to the Tories, who championed a simple message of ‘let’s get Brexit done’. 

How Labour’s red wall crumbled to dust: seat by seat 

11:30pm: Blyth Valley lost after backing Labour for 45 years

1:30am: Workington lost

1.30am: Darlington lost after supporting Labour for 27 years

1.45am: Peterborough lost

1.50am: Wrexham lost after backing Labour for 84 years

1.59am: Leigh lost

2.27am: Copeland remained Conservative

2.30am: Vale of Clwyd lost after backing Labour for 79 years

2.35am: Stockton South lost

2.35am: Blackpool South lost after backing Labour for 22 years

2.39am: Wolverhampton North East lost after backing Labour for 27 years

2.44am: Redcar lost after backing Labour since 2015

2.48am: Ynys Mon lost after backing Labour for 18 years

2.48am: West Bromwich East lost after backing Labour since the seat’s creation 

2.49am: Bishop Auckland lost after backing Labour for 84 years

2.52am: Burnley lost after backing Labour since 2015

3.09am: Scunthorpe lost after backing Labour since the seat’s creation

3.09am: Bridgend lost after backing Labour for 32 years

3.09am: Hyndburn lost after backing Labour for 27 years

3.14am: Stroud lost after backing Labour since 2017 

3.16am: Gedling lost after backing Labour for 22 years 

3.28am: Sedgefield lost after backing Labour since 88 years

3.34am: Don Valley lost after backing Labour for 97 years

3.39am: Bassetlaw lost after backing Labour for 84 years

3.41am: Wakefield lost after backing Labour for 87 years

3.48am: Bury South lost after backing Labour for 22 years

3.49am: North West Durham lost after backing Labour for 69 years

4.13am: Birmingham Northfield lost after backing Labour for 27 years

4.17am: Ashfield lost after backing Labour for 40 years

4.26am: Stoke-on-Trent Central lost

4.36am: Stoke-on-Trent North lost 

4.40am: Derby North lost

5.02am: Conservative victory declared

5.06am: Bolsover lost 

Among Labour’s lost jewels was Workington, where the Conservatives overturned a 3,000 majority to triumph by 4,000 votes.

The term Workington man is a reference to the ‘older, white, non-graduate man from the north of England with an interest in rugby league and a tendency to vote Labour’.

This demographic, according to a Conservative think-tank, is the key to handing the Prime Minister a thumping majority to see his Brexit deal through.

The Don Valley, a sword in Labour’s armoury for 97 years, fell to the blue wave with a swing of  17 per cent away from Labour.

And support for the party disintegrated in Bishop Auckland and Wrexham, which had both backed Labour for 84 years. 

Throughout a devastating night for the party, the crumbling wall continued to let out more Labour seats, with Bridgend, Gedling and Sedgefield all turning blue.

Labour lost an astounding 17 per cent of its vote in Sedgefield, as the party was pummelled into second place by the Conservatives who won a majority of more than 4,000. 

Heading through the gaping hole in Labour’s disintegrating defences was North West Durham, switching sides for the first time since the seat was re-formed in 1950, and Bury South in Greater Manchester, which has been Labour since 1997.

They were followed by Birmingham Northfield, Labour for 27 years, Ashfield, Labour for 40 years, and Wakefield, Labour for 87 years.

At 4.26am it appeared the wall had officially been breached with Stoke-on-Trent Central, Stoke-on-Trent North and Derby North all turning a deep shade of blue.

In Derby North former Labour MP Chris Williamson, who was ejected from the party following allegations of anti-semitism, lost his deposit when he achieved only 635 votes while standing as an independent.

And at 5.06am the famed Beast of Bolsover Dennis Skinner lost his seat after holding it for 49 years.

In Bassetlaw the alleged arrogance of the Corbyn project is being blamed for the catastrophic defeat.

The seat, which had been Labour for more than 84 years, had a non-local thrust upon it by the Soviet in Islington, pushing voters to back the Conservatives. 

Sensing defeat Jeremy Corbyn announced he would not stand in another election for the party as Labour grandees lined up to claim that Brexit and the right-wing press had caused Labour’s landslide defeat.  

Responding to the horrifying numbers for Labour supporters, which had been hoping for a hung parliament until the exit poll was announced at 10pm, Corbyn said he would not lead the party again in a General Election.

‘This (result) is obviously a very disappointing night for the party’, he told an assembled crowd at his Islington North constituency, where he won for the tenth time.

‘In the election campaign we put forward a manifesto of hope, a manifesto of unity, and a manifesto that would help to write the wrongs and the injustices and inequalities that live in this country. 

Members of the public beginning to count the vote at Labour stronghold Salford and Eccles

Members of the public beginning to count the vote at Labour stronghold Salford and Eccles

Labour had made a multitude of spending pledges during its election campaign. (Pictured: A crestfallen John McDonnell seen at the count centre in Uxbridge, west London)

Labour had made a multitude of spending pledges during its election campaign. (Pictured: A crestfallen John McDonnell seen at the count centre in Uxbridge, west London)

‘However, Brexit has so polarised and divided debate in this country it has overridden so much of a normal political debate. And i realise it has contributed to the result the labour party has seen tonight across this country. 

‘I want to also make it clear that I will not lead the party in any future election campaign.’  

The beleaguered leader had surfaced during the devastating night for the party to receive hugs at his Islington North constituency where the count is ongoing.

The Conservatives focused on a core message to ‘get Brexit done’ during their election campaign while Labour has made a multitude of spending pledges on the railways, infrastructure and WASPI women.

It was also a devastating night for the Liberal Democrats where their party leader, Jo Swinson, lost her Scottish East Dunbartonshire seat by less than 200 votes.

Jo Swinson said the results are ‘significant’ and talked about the ‘wave of nationalism’ sweeping both Scotland and England. 

Jo Swinson pictured moments before she lost her seat of East Dunbartonshire in Scotland

Jo Swinson pictured moments before she lost her seat of East Dunbartonshire in Scotland

Boris Johnson, after being re-elected at Uxbridge and South Ruislip, heralded the results as a ‘powerful new mandate’ to ‘get Brexit done and take this country forward.’

‘Above all i want to thank the people of this country for turning out in a December election that we didn’t want to call but that I think has been a historic election.

‘And gives us now the chance to support the democratic will of this country and to release the potential of the entire people of this country. and as the exit polls seem to suggest then that work will begin today.’ 

He also repeated the party’s pledge to recruit 50,000 more nurses, 6,000 more gps and to build 40 new hospitals. 

Boris Johnson heralded the results as a 'powerful mandate' for the Conservative party. (Pictured: In his Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency)

Boris Johnson heralded the results as a ‘powerful mandate’ for the Conservative party. (Pictured: In his Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency)

Dominic Raab making his acceptance speech after holding onto his Esher and Walton seat

Dominic Raab making his acceptance speech after holding onto his Esher and Walton seat

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