Labour's Kim McGuinness named new North East Mayor as results announced at Sunderland count

Labour’s Kim McGuinness has won the race to become the first ever North East Mayor.

The former Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner will take up the new office after the Government’s devolution deal with the North East, which, among other things, paves the way for the new Crown Works film studios in Sunderland.

She defeated previous North of Tyne Mayor Jamie Driscoll, a former Labour party member who was blocked from standing for the party for the new North East Mayor role. He instead stood as an independent.

The overall result was revealed in Sunderland at the regional count in the Silksworth Tennis Centre.

Ms McGuinness secured a majority of almost 60,000 to emerge victorious in the historic mayoral election.

Polling released last weekend had suggested that the Labour candidate and Mr Driscoll were neck and neck in the race to become the region’s new political figurehead, but she ultimately secured a comfortable margin of victory.

The 38-year-old, a former councillor in Newcastle,  said the election marked a “really big moment for the North East as we take the first step to taking control of our own future”.

She pledged to turn the North East into the “real home of opportunity” with new jobs and green industries and major public transport overhaul, including bringing privatised bus services back under public control.

The results for voters in Sunderland taking part saw Reform UK’s Paul Donaghy - a former Washington councillor who lost his seat last night - take second place to Labour, knocking Jamie Driscoll into third place in the city.

The North East Mayor has powers to help drive forward the areas of Sunderland, Newcastle, South Tyneside, North Tyneside, Gateshead, Northumberland and County Durham.

Full results

Paul Donaghy (REF) – 41,147 Jamie Driscoll (IND) – 126,652 Andrew Gray (G) – 17,631 Aidan King (LD) – 25,485 Kim McGuinness (LAB) – 185,051 Guy Renner-Thompson (CON) – 52,446

Sunderland results

Paul Donaghy (REF) - 11,563 Jamie Driscoll (IND) - 11,009 Andrew Gray (GRN) - 1,802 Aidan King (LD) - 4,727Kim McGuinness (LAB) - 27,469 Guy Renner Thompson (CON) - 7,037