Could Reform UK Be Heading for Its First Local Election Win in Hartlepool?

Former industrial towns such as Hartlepool look to be ripe for the picking for Reform UK to secure council seats in this years round of local elections...

18th April 2025

A surprise by-election in Hartlepool on the 1st May 2025 could hand Reform UK its first ever council seat in the town—coming just a year after Labour managed to claw back control of the council from a shaky Conservative-Independent coalition.

The by-election, triggered by the resignation of Labour councillor Cameron Sharp, comes at a time when no elections were expected locally in Hartlepool until 2026. Yet, it could end up being a defining moment for Reform UK in the red wall constituency—especially as they continue to climb in the polls across Teesside and beyond.

Last year’s local and general elections saw Reform UK poll second in many Hartlepool wards and constituencies. Now, with Labour only narrowly retaking control of Hartlepool from the Conservatives, the by-election being held in the towns Throston ward presents Reform UK with a golden opportunity—not only just to gain a foothold on the council, but to strike a symbolic blow to Labour’s grip on a town they once considered one of their safest strongholds.

Reform are keeping Hartlepool's by-election campaign 'low key'....

Nigel Farage's political party polls well in areas such as Hartlepool, making an election win here in May's by-election doable

Whilst is been claimed Reform UK’s campaign in Hartlepool has been somewhat 'low-key'—some even calling it “too quiet”—its not necessarily a sign of Reform's unwillingness to put the donkey work into taking the town council seat. Quite the opposite. Its actually a game of political psychological warfare.... Labour insiders are said to be 'worried' that Reform's understated approach could actually be a winning tactic, with Labours tantric door knocking & boots on the ground campaign looking 'desperate'.... The lack of flashy campaigning by Reform could be strategic: staying under the radar, avoiding the spotlight, and letting disillusioned voters deliver their message at the ballot box.

Sources claim Labour’s ground campaign in Throston is struggling to gain traction. Local turnout is expected to be low, possibly even worse than the election that first saw Cameron Sharp elected two years ago. That doesn’t bode well for a party trying to defend a thin majority with national momentum already slipping.

Online, Reform appears to be enjoying the lion’s share of support. Many voters seem less focused on local issues and more driven by national frustrations—immigration, the cost of living, and the ongoing disillusionment with both main parties. If voters choose to use this by-election to vent their anger, it could be a clean sweep for Reform UK.

A win here in Hartlepool would be largely symbolic—but symbolically devastating for Labour at the same time. It could trigger wider problems across the Tees Valley and beyond, with it being claimed that some independent and even Conservative councillors in Hartlepool may begin to rethink their allegiances if they sense the political winds are shifting.

Labours Jonathan Brash only managed to secure the former Hartlepool 'red wall' seat last year from the Conservatives, but seen his majority slashed by Reform UK who came second in the election.

It would also paint a worrying picture for Labour’s future in Hartlepool, especially after their narrow wins last year at both local and national levels. Reform UK didn’t win, but they came second in many of the elections held—often trailing not far behind Labour—and that momentum hasn’t gone unnoticed.

Reform are poised to win a number of council seats at DCC

The ripple effect might even reach County Durham, with whispers suggesting that Labour could be on the verge of losing several seats there to Reform UK. If that happens, it would mark the end of Labour’s dominance in a region long seen as one of its safest. In a constituency that’s been a Labour fortress for generations & could spell a political earthquake.

A set of disastrous local election results spelled the beginning of the end for former Conservative PM Rishi Sunak, sources claim the same's set to happen to Keir Starmer

And at the national level, & in the aftermath of a reform election 'bloodbath', the pressure would then likely then pile on Keir Starmer. If red wall MPs sense their seats could be slipping away, the knives could soon be out for the Labour leader. With Reform UK circling, and public trust wearing thin, a Hartlepool by-election victory for Reform may be the first domino to fall.