Tory candidate wins Sedgefield seat in general election

The Labour Party has lost its grip on Newton Aycliffe after Conservative candidate Paul Howell won the Sedgefield seat in the general election.

Mr Howell ended up winning with a comfortable 4,513 majority – polling 19,609 votes to Phil Wilson’s Labour candidate with 15,096 – in Thursday’s election.

It comes as huge areas of the North-East, traditional Labour heartlands, all turned blue, with Tory candidates winning in Bishop Auckland, Darlington, Stockton South and Redcar.

Boris Johnson’s Tory party is heading for a landslide victory and a huge majority.

“Thank you to everybody who voted for me. As a boy from Ferryhill I’m so proud and delighted to be here,” said Mr Howell.

“I’m looking forward to being a voice for each and every constituent and representing them.”

Mr Wilson immediately pinned the blame on Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

Before the Sedgefield seat was even called, he Tweeted: “For @UKLabour leadership to blame Brexit for the result is mendacious nonsense.

“Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership was a bigger problem. To say otherwise is delusional. The Party’s leadership went down like a lead balloon on the doorstep. Labour’s leadership needs to take responsibility.”

The Brexit Party’s David Bull polled 3,518 votes in Sedgefield, with Dawn Welsh (Lib Dems) getting 1,955 votes, John Furness (Green) 994 and Michael Joyce (independent) 394).