Elections focus: Yorkshire and the North East – moving away from the mainstream?

What’s happening? 

It’s a busy election season in the North East and Yorkshire with fifteen councils holding elections in May. Across Yorkshire voters will be at the ballot box in Hull, Leeds, Wakefield, Barnsley, Sheffield, Kirklees, Calderdale and Bradford, while further north there are battles taking place in Hartlepool, Sunderland, South Tyneside, Gateshead, Newcastle and North Tyneside. 

Many of these councils hold elections in thirds meaning the likelihood of radical change in composition is reduced – but there is nonetheless potential for some change across the region as a whole. 

Fairly recently the North East was a Labour stronghold, but the past decade has seen the area become something of a bellwether region. Having voted strongly for Brexit, Boris Johnson’s Conservatives gained seats which were then turned red again as Labour built momentum ahead of the last general election. 

In 2025, Northumberland council gained enough Reform councillors to take away the Conservative majority on the council, and Nigel Farage’s party will be hoping to make further inroads across the north this spring. 

The key issues 

Data shows that voters across Yorkshire and the North East are increasingly dissatisfied with the major parties, and there is a significant chance of protest votes which will help Reform and the Greens. 

Recent years have seen a focus from central government on Yorkshire and the north east coast when it comes to growth sectors including clean energy, the data economy and life sciences. Labour incumbents will be hoping this investment is recognised by voters. 

Key issues on the ground include: 

• Cost of living – discourse in these regions is heavily influenced by deepening economic and geographic inequality and the cost of living. 
• Net Zero scepticism – there is some frustration among rural voters where rising costs are impacting farmers, combined with a perception that the countryside is being lost to industrialisation. 
• Local environment – declining high streets combined with house price inflation outstripping local earnings are squeezing quality of life across the region. 

Races to watch 

• Leeds City Council will be a target for the Greens. National deputy leader, Mothin Ali, is a councillor in Leeds so we can expect the party to put substantial resources into campaigns across the city. 
• Newcastle City Council is a key contest with all 78 of its seats up for grabs. Labour currently runs a minority administration after several of its councillors became independent in recent years. The Lib Dems are the largest opposition party and will be campaigning hard to make gains while also fighting off an insurgent Green Party. 
• Hartlepool Borough Council looks like a key battleground between Reform and Labour. Reform will be aiming to take advantage of the area’s deep seated dissatisfaction with traditional parties and lingering pro-Brexit sentiment. 

Zoom out 

Dissatisfaction with Labour and the Conservatives is driving increasing support for less established parties. Reform will likely do well in areas that voted for Brexit, particularly rural areas where farmers are feeling targeted by the Family Farm Tax. 

The renewable energy industry will be keeping a particularly close eye on results along the north east coast where anti net zero sentiment is a risk. Meanwhile the Greens and even the Lib Dems in some locations will hope to benefit from young families and professionals feeling detached from Labour.