The votes have been counted for the Blaydon and Consett constituency in the 2024 General Election, revealing notable shifts from the 2019 results.

Results:

• Labour: Liz Twist
  • Votes: 21,160
  • Vote Share: 50.1%
  • Share Change: +6.1%
• Reform UK: David Ayre
  • Votes: 10,007
  • Vote Share: 23.7%
  • Share Change: +14.0%
• Conservative: Angela Sterling
  • Votes: 6,052
  • Vote Share: 14.3%
  • Share Change: -20.6%
• Green: Richard Simpson
  • Votes: 2,589
  • Vote Share: 6.1%
  • Share Change: +3.1%
• Liberal Democrat: Vicky Anderson
  • Votes: 2,273
  • Vote Share: 5.4%
  • Share Change: +0.8%
• Social Democratic Party: Paul Topping
  • Votes: 135
  • Vote Share: 0.3%
  • Share Change: +0.3%

Vote Share and Changes Since 2019:

• Labour: 50.1% (+6.1%)
• Reform UK: 23.7% (+14.0%)
• Conservative: 14.3% (-20.6%)
• Green: 6.1% (+3.1%)
• Liberal Democrat: 5.4% (+0.8%)
• Social Democratic Party: 0.3% (+0.3%)

Turnout:

• Registered Voters: 70,487
• Turnout: 60.06%
• Change Since 2019: -7.00%

Former Blaydon MP Liz Twist secured the seat for Labour with a majority of 11,153 over Reform UK’s David Ayre. In her victory speech, she echoed her party’s election slogans, stating it was “time for change in Blaydon and Consett and time for change nationally.”

She addressed constituents, saying:

It’s important to me that your voice, your issues, and your aspirations are heard and listened to, as we move into a new Parliament.

LIZ TWIST, LABOUR MP FOR BLAYDON AND CONSETT

The new seat’s boundaries include Blaydon, Rowlands Gill, and Ryton in Gateshead, and the towns of Consett, Leadgate, and Burnopfield in County Durham.

Liz Twist’s Responses to Consett Magazine on 10 Key Local Issues

1. Shotley Bridge Hospital

Barry Kirkham, Consett Magazine: Given the ongoing delays and uncertainty, what steps will you take to ensure the hospital is built promptly, and how will you address residents’ concerns?

Liz Twist: “In 2019, the Tories promised a new hospital for the people of Consett and over a full term of parliament, they failed to deliver. The money to deliver this has been allocated and we now need to get on with the rebuild. This will be a key priority for me if elected on July 4.”

2. Pharmacies and Healthcare Access

Barry Kirkham, Consett Magazine: With local pharmacies under pressure, how will you support the sector to ensure residents have access to essential healthcare services without overburdening GPs?

Liz Twist: “Pharmacies are a really vital part of our health service, and closures have affected the very communities that need them most. I’ve chaired the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Rare Diseases and I’m really passionate about making life easier for people with long-term conditions. A Labour Government will get pharmacists working to the top of their licence, as part of our plan to move care closer to communities and get the NHS back on its feet.”

3. Mental Health Services

Barry Kirkham, Consett Magazine: Considering the increased demand and recent criticisms of the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Trust, and calls for a public inquiry, what measures will you implement to improve mental health care and ensure adequate resources?

Liz Twist: “When I was first elected to parliament as the MP for Blaydon in 2017, I spoke about losing my late husband to suicide. It is a subject very close to my heart and one that I have been a lifetime campaigner on. I’m proud that Labour have set out our plans to recruit 8,500 new mental health professionals and that we will prioritise those who struggle with their mental health, particularly young people in our region.”

4. Local Infrastructure

Barry Kirkham, Consett Magazine: What are your plans to improve infrastructure in Consett and Blaydon, particularly in road maintenance and public transport, to enhance connectivity and support local development?

Liz Twist: “Public transport in the North East comes up in nearly every doorstep conversation I have, and as a bus user myself, I know just how unreliable the services can be. From filling potholes, to bringing buses back under public control and trains under public ownership – Labour is the party ready to put public transport back in the hands of those who use it. We’ll accelerate the bus franchising process, give local leaders more control and flexibility over bus funding, and set aside funding for local authorities to improve the condition of roads.”

5. Economic Development

Barry Kirkham, Consett Magazine: How do you intend to attract new businesses to Consett and Blaydon, and what support will you offer to existing local businesses to ensure economic growth and job creation?

Liz Twist: “There are many success stories of local businesses across Blaydon and Consett thriving against the odds, but it is hard to avoid the fact that local businesses have had a really tough time over the past few years – it has become all too common to see boarded-up shop fronts. I’ve listened to those businesses and we want to give local communities the right tools to drive growth in their areas. That means giving local authorities the power, flexibility, and long-term funding settlements they need to make change. We will also scrap business rates and bring in a fairer system, which would reduce the burden on high street premises. If elected, I’m keen to champion every business across Blaydon and Consett.”

6. Housing

Barry Kirkham, Consett Magazine: What is your strategy to tackle housing shortages and ensure affordable housing for all residents?

Liz Twist: “When I was the MP for Blaydon, barely a day went by without a constituent getting in touch to tell me about issues they were having with their housing – be that damp and mould issues, repairs, overcrowding, or a section 21 eviction served by their landlord. Fourteen years of Tory Government have left us with a chronic shortage of homes, and the dream of home ownership is too far out of reach for too many families. Our house building plans will see one-and-a-half million new homes built within the first five years of a new Labour Government, delivering the biggest boost to affordable housing in a generation, and ensuring first dibs for first-time buyers.”

7. Policing and Crime

Barry Kirkham, Consett Magazine: What actions will you take to enhance policing, reduce crime rates, and ensure the safety and security of residents?

Liz Twist: “Quite frankly, the Tories have failed our police forces. From the rise in abuse against shopworkers to antisocial behaviour in our communities, things need to change. Labour have pledged to put 13,000 extra neighbourhood police and PCSOs on the beat, so every community has a local officer that they can get in touch with. I have a track record of working with both Durham and Northumbria’s Police and Crime Commissioners and I want to be part of that positive change that Labour can bring to our communities.”

8. Environmental Protection

Barry Kirkham, Consett Magazine: Considering recent reports about Northumbrian Water’s raw sewage discharges and other environmental issues, what actions will you take to ensure stricter regulations and enforcement to protect our local environment and public health?

Liz Twist: “I first raised this issue in parliament in 2021 and the Tories have done their best to kick this into the long grass. Labour will put water companies under special measures to clean up our waters. This will include the introduction of severe and automatic fines for illegal sewage discharges, and criminal charges for water bosses who oversee repeated law-breaking. We’ll force all companies to monitor water outlets under independent supervision so that they are no longer allowed to mark their own homework. Locally, I will continue to raise residents’ concerns and fight to ensure that our beautiful countryside is not subject to environmental vandalism.”

9. Immigration

Barry Kirkham, Consett Magazine: Although Blaydon and Consett doesn’t have as large an immigrant population as other parts of the UK, what is your stance on immigration, and how do you propose to manage it while considering the local community’s interests?

Liz Twist: “Immigration is an important part of our national life – which is why it is so important that we have a system that is fair and properly controlled. Sadly, all we’ve seen under the Conservatives has been chaos, with migration hitting record highs. Labour has set out our plans to bring down migration – we’ll strengthen wages and conditions for Britain’s workers, link skills plans for young people with the jobs businesses need to fill, and implement a practical plan to tackle the small boats chaos, stopping the illegal gangs running the operations and putting lives at risk.”

10. Education and Child Care

Barry Kirkham, Consett Magazine: With the historical impact of the Sure Start programme and recent calls for a new initiative, what steps will you take to support and enhance the quality of education and childcare in Consett and Blaydon, including facilities and resources for schools, colleges, and childcare providers?

Liz Twist: “Children in Blaydon and Consett deserve the very best start in life. Where the Tories have promises, we have a plan to deliver. We’ve pledged to convert spare school classrooms into high-quality spaces for nurseries to create over three thousand new nursery classes across England. This will allow us to deliver on access to childcare hours for families. As part of our first steps for change, a Labour Government would also recruit 6,500 more teachers to ensure that every child is taught by a specialist. These commitments will be funded by ending tax breaks that private schools currently enjoy, so that we can spread opportunity more widely and give every child the education they deserve.”