North Tyneside count continuespublished at 14:52 BST
Joshua Aitken
BBC Look North
Results are coming in from North Tyneside thick and fast now.
Dan Robson is the latest Reform UK win here, but
upon his victory was nowhere to be seen. Instead we were met with this empty
stage.
I’m told the newly-elected Howdon ward councillor was a “last minute
candidate” and is currently on a family holiday. It left the returning officer
looking lonely on the stage and he’s therefore the first councillor not to
deliver a victory speech.
Meanwhile, there were birthday blues for Labour’s Sandra Graham,
who lost her seat to the Greens on her 70th birthday.
In a speech, she thanked her supporters before rushing to the back of the hall
where she was embraced by fellow campaigners and consoled by leader of the
council Karen Clark.
At least three Labour cabinet members from North Tyneside council
have now lost their seats, but no one party is coming out on top yet here. Reform is a touch ahead but Labour is losing seats to Greens and
Conservatives also.
There was an empty stage as the winning Reform candidate was announced
North Tyneside elected mayor, Labour’s Karen Clark, was subdued
