Following a successful result in May’s County Council election, the Conservative Party have topped the poll across Northumberland in the General Election. The county has four parliamentary seats including Berwick Upon Tweed, Blyth Valley, Hexham and Wansbeck. Across the four the Conservatives achieved the highest vote share of any party with 44.4% of the vote.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan more than doubled her majority in Berwick and Guy Opperman in achieved another landslide in Hexham. Chris Galley increased the Conservatives’ vote share by 5000 in Wansbeck and Ian Levy achieved just under 16,000 votes in Blyth Valley.

The result has been applauded as clear evidence that the Conservative vote is not only very strong, but with the potential to grow even further. The county is typically seen as a Labour stronghold, but after topping the poll in the local and national elections commentators are likely to pay significantly more attention to the Conservatives’ progress in Northumberland.

Peter Jackson, leader of Northumberland County Council, said that despite the challenges left to them by the previous administration, his party was 'looking forward' to helping create a better future for all Northumberland residents.