Update 5.30pm
"I take full responsibility for the results and I will take full responsibility for fixing things."
— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) May 7, 2021
After Labour's defeat in the Hartlepool by-election, Sir Keir Starmer says "we haven't set out a strong enough case to the country". pic.twitter.com/V1lyEbgsKU
— Alasdair Vickers (@AliVickers7) May 7, 2021
Is this the end for the Labour Party?
— Byline TV (@BylineTV) May 7, 2021
After last night’s latest crushing defeat we ask what next for a party that just doesn’t seem to be able to get it right?
With @paulmasonnews, @dorotheabyrne, @WritesBright and @JulianPetley.
WATCH LIVE AT 8PM: https://t.co/VXOxUQPKql pic.twitter.com/AA3kMRgabe
Repeat again and again: there is no such thing as British electoral politics any more.
— Lewis Goodall (@lewis_goodall) May 7, 2021
There are consequences for Wales too. So far Welsh Labour are holding up relatively well. Each nation of the UK will be governed by a different party. Nothing new in that, but Labour down in England and stable in Wales reinforces the sense that UK nations diverging ever further. https://t.co/o4V7bX6wer
— Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) May 7, 2021
If these results continue @theSNP is on course to win the most votes for any party in the history of the Scottish Parliament. #SP21
— JOHN NICOLSON MP (@MrJohnNicolson) May 7, 2021
“Ram it Bunty” #JaydaFransen #NicolaSturgeon #janeygodleyvoiceover pic.twitter.com/AzXgxfs0x9
— Janey Godley (@JaneyGodley) May 7, 2021
Earlier:
IF YOU’RE JUST WAKING UP- the latest from the wall
— Lewis Goodall (@lewis_goodall) May 7, 2021
The Tories have won the Hartlepool by election and have won it handsomely. Majority of nearly 7000. First time the seat has been won by a Tory since 1959. Only third time a govt has won a by election off an opp since 1982 pic.twitter.com/nZL6rLJE9e
Hartlepool, parliamentary by-election result:
— Britain Elects (@BritainElects) May 7, 2021
Con: 51.9% (+23.0)
Lab: 28.7% (-9.0)
Ind: 9.7% (+7.5)
RefUK: 1.2% (-24.6)
Grn: 1.2% (+1.2)
LDem: 1.2% (-3.0)
Oth: 6.1% (+4.9)
Con GAIN from Lab.
Just parking this here without comment#ElectionResults2021 #Hartlepool pic.twitter.com/vva0DXaAOz
— Carrie (not Princess Nut Nuts) 💙🇪🇺💨🪁🏄🏻♂️🦋 (@TheWordOfCarrie) May 7, 2021
Looking at #Hartlepool and other results coming in striking similarities with 2020 US presidential election: Conservatives and Republicans becoming the party of the blue-collar working class (and the super wealthy); Labour and Democrats, the urban, educated middle class
— Jon Sopel (@BBCJonSopel) May 7, 2021
Crushing defeat for Labour in Hartlepool. Not possible to blame Jeremy Corbyn for this result. Labour won the seat twice under his leadership. Keir Starmer must think again about his strategy #HartlepoolByElection
— Diane Abbott MP (@HackneyAbbott) May 7, 2021
It’s the first time Hartlepool hasn’t had a Labour MP since Peter Mandelson.
— Count Binface (@CountBinface) May 7, 2021
Nicely illustrative of a) Labour's basic strategic problem- they've been consumed by their main rivals in England/Scotland respectively and b) that the New Labour coalition quite literally no longer exists.
— Lewis Goodall (@lewis_goodall) May 7, 2021
The fact that many people on the ‘left’ seem to be celebrating the Hartlepool result as enthusiastically as the Tories is another major problem that Starmer didn’t cause but somehow has to fix.
— James O'Brien (@mrjamesob) May 7, 2021
That's actually not it. Everyone in the Labour Party loves it they just hate half the other people in it
— Harris (@talktoharris1) May 7, 2021
Labour's vote has declined in Hartlepool in every election bar 2017 since 1997.
— Ash Sarkar (@AyoCaesar) May 7, 2021
It's a microcosm of the crisis facing the party in England more broadly, and can't simply be put down to Brexit, Corbyn or Starmer.
The best thing about winning Hartlepool with a 7,000 majority is that I now have concrete proof that people don't give a shit how corrupt I am.
— Parody Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson_MP) May 7, 2021
So well done Hartlepool.#ElectionResults2021
Conservatives take Harlow council from Labour for the first time in nine years#BBCElections https://t.co/Kcfm7LPSVy
— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) May 7, 2021
The Overnight Note 