Northumberland Labour leader vows to rebuild after re-election

Druridge Bay councillor Scott Dickinson was unanimously elected for a second term as party leader. Lynemouth’s Liz Dunn has been returned as his deputy, while Ashington Central councillor Caroline Ball will be party chairman.

Labour suffered significant losses in their traditional heartlands in Northumberland last week, with Reform UK making big gains in Ashington and Blyth.

The party, which was in power at County Hall between 2013 and 2017 lost ten seats and now has just eight councillors.

Coun Dickinson, who has been leader since 2017, vowed to rebuild the party after a difficult election. However, he admitted it was the most challenging time Labour has faced in the county for a number of years.

He said: “I am delighted to have the unanimous support of our councillors. Both new and existing members have put their trust in me once again.

“While this is the most challenging time our group has faced in years, it’s clear that this election reflected national issues impacting the local ballot. I will work diligently to regroup and rebuild our local team with the fantastic Labour councillors who were elected on May 1.

“I want to extend my gratitude to the Labour membership for their support as I continue in my role as local leader, as well as to all Northumberland MPs who have reached out to me, and of course, to our electorate.

“It is crucial that we protect our staff and residents at a local level and uphold the Nolan Principles against those who may challenge them. We will remain committed to our values and already recognise some of our local election promises being considered by the council.”

The Nolan Principles are seven ethical guidelines established in the UK to ensure integrity in public life. They are: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty, and leadership.

Coun Dunn was elected as deputy leader last year following the resignation of the previous holder, Coun Liz Simpson.

She said: “We have a challenging road ahead, and I will work closely with Scott and the team to rebuild and regroup. We will continue to engage positively at the council to ensure that the interests of local residents are always heard.”

Coun Ball was the only Labour councillor to survive the Reform surge in Ashington and Blyth. She held onto her Ashington Central seat by just six votes.

She said: “We are a united team committed to working in the best interests of local residents while holding those in power accountable. We will not compromise our values, and I fully support Scott and Liz in this effort.

“In the coming weeks, the council will face significant uncertainty, and we will do everything we can to support its efforts to benefit residents while ensuring accountability for those in power.”

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness believes Labour has not invested enough in the region since coming to power and must deliver more to win back voters’ trust.

She said: “For me now, Government listening means delivery. It means actually delivering the change they promised in the election and that change being in the interest of those communities, direct investment in the right places in our region.”