In a tense night of two dead heats during the Northumberland County Council local election count this week, the old pit village of Hartley changed hands from Labour to the Tories. The leader of the Labour group lost the ward on a ballot draw – when candidates pick names from a box to decide who wins in the event of a tie.
A cluster of other Conservative gains, including nearby Seghill with Seaton Delaval – also once the site of a colliery – meant the party took control of the council, which had previously been under no overall control.
Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month
Content from our partners
