Labour sets out plan for the future in Sunderland after election gains

The local elections on May 4, 2023, saw Sunderland City Council’s ruling Labour Group gain three seats and increase its overall majority.

New Labour councillors were elected in Barnes, Ryhope and St Anne’s, with Labour also coming close to winning other seats in Conservative-controlled wards.

After losing large numbers of councillors across the 2019 and 2021 elections, Labour’s decline slowed significantly in 2022 with the loss of only one seat.

For councillor Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council’s Labour Group, the 2023 results were a reflection of the party’s work in transforming Wearside.

While noting that gaining the confidence of all city residents would take time, the council leader remained hopeful for the next election and beyond.

Cllr Miller said: “It’s just a transitional phase […] when you have had four years of building or transformation and regeneration primarily after 30 years of very little, it takes a bit of time for that to percolate into people.

“People thinking yeah I could consider voting for Labour, look what we’re doing for the city.

“So we’re a year further advanced on that, I always say politics is not a wham-bam crash game, you’ve got to have a plan.

“The key thing is if you don’t get people believing in you and don’t have them listening to you, you will not get the vote and it takes time.

“So I’m very happy with being plus three on the night”.

Labour’s victory in St Anne’s saw Catherine Hunter elected with a 287-vote majority over Conservative Pam Mann, following on from Susan Watson’s Labour victory in the ward last year.

Cllr Hunter, who was the first Sunderland councillor elected at the Silksworth Community Pool, Tennis and Wellness Centre count, said she was looking forward to working with Cllr Watson to benefit local residents.

She added she had previously been deterred from standing as a councillor following national issues around councillors and MPs facing threats and “malicious” social media comments.

Following her victory, the newly-elected councillor said she hoped to use her previous experience working in the energy sector to help residents during the cost of living crisis, as well as helping to attract more funding to local projects.

Cllr Hunter said: “I want to try and help improve people’s standard of living, a Labour Government would help with that, but we will do everything we can to improve the standards locally.

“It’s about listening to people about their concerns and if I can do something about it, I will”.

In Ryhope, Lindsey Leonard was also victorious with a 752-vote majority over the Conservatives, taking a seat previously held by independent councillor Steven Bewick.

Following an election win in 2022 and the defection of Conservative councillor Usman Ali to Labour in March 2023, Ryhope now has three Labour representatives.

Cllr Leonard, speaking after the result was announced this week, said: “Ryhope Labour have worked incredibly hard, every voter mattered.

“The results tonight demonstrate that the voters are clear only a Labour government can make that difference”.

Another gain included Labour’s Ehthesham Haque in the Barnes ward with a 142-vote majority over Conservative Kevin Leonard.

The win marked Labour gaining a foothold in the ward, which has consistently elected Conservative representatives in recent years.

Cllr Haque described the result as a “great success” for the party and thanked “every voter that had the confidence to vote Labour”.

He added: “It’s clear the country is ready for change”.

As well as taking three new seats out of the 24 contested on May 4, the Labour Party also came a close second in Conservative areas such as St Michael’s and St Peter’s.

Cllr Miller added: “If we continue on this path we will have another good year next year.

“I never make stupid predictions on numbers of things, if the national party gives us a manifesto to get behind as well that will help.

“But we will continue to push to take over seats.

“Since we got within around 54 votes of St Michael’s, which is an amazing achievement by Chris Smith the candidate, we will have a right go there.

“I think we will also have a right go in St Chad’s, candidate Martin Old did well there, so you can see there’s room to manoeuvre.

“The first thing to do is not to lose anyone and then see who you can take and we will carry on with that plan because it’s working for us.

“But it will only work if people trust us”.

The overall turnout in the 2023 local elections was 31.9%, compared to 33.6% in 2022.

The council’s overall make-up is now 45 Labour councillors, 15 Liberal Democrats, 13 Conservatives and one Reform UK.

There also remains one vacancy in the Hendon ward due to the death of a candidate ahead of the election, which will be contested later this year.