Austen Shakespeare

I’m at Parks Sports Centre for Tynemouth constituency’s count this evening. Stay tuned with just over 30 minutes to go before polls close. chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-eas…

The goal that sealed Sweden's place in the quarter-finals! ⚽️🇸🇪

Longbenton and Benton Result: Labour Hold •CLARK Joshua Thomas Con: 83 •FALKENSTEIN John Roy - Reform: 602 •HOWARD Jim - Green: 259 •MACDONALD Bryan John - Labour: 739 •NISBET David - Liberal Democrat: 183

Killingworth Result: Reform Gain •AMOS Alexander James - Con: 429 •DIXON Lucy Jane - Labour: 639 •JONES Ian - Green: 85 •SMITH Brian - Reform UK: 771 •VINTON Emma Lillian - Liberal Democrat: 81

Ballot data has come through now. Killingworth turnout: 30.3% Total votes: 6,623 Longbenton and Benton: 24.72% Total votes: 7,562

The by-election counts for Killingworth and Longbenton and Benton are now underway.

All seven boxes have now been delivered to the count. Verification continues.

Lib Dem candidate for Killingworth Emma Vinton said: “After today we have a lot of work to do in Killingworth” Miss Vinton’s team has also been supporting the Lib Dem candidate David Nisbet in Longbenton and Benton.

Labour is keeping tight lipped in what could be a tight race tonight. Verification continues as boxes arrive from the polling stations.

Reform candidate for Longbenton and Benton, John Falkenstein said: “the political landscape has changed nationally and even though the Labour Party has an historic understanding of where its voters are, that’s no longer the case”

10pm has arrived. The polling stations will have closed and now the verification process has began for the postal votes.

Tonight’s counters prepping for the arrival of the ballot boxes.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service is here at North Tyneside’s Cobalt Business Park HQ, to bring you updates on the Longbenton and Benton and Killingworth by-elections. Polls close in just over 30 mins.

The demonstration has now began to disperse, clearing the site of the Monument.

Jo Grady, general secretary of the UCU said: “I will finish with a very simple message. Thank you to everyone in Newcastle for your action. You are inspiring. “You will win here, the national union has your back and as ever I will never stop fighting for you.”

Carlo Morelli, a UCU member from the University of Dundee said to the crowd: “We need the united strike yes, but that gives us the leavers now to step in and force a new way of funding the sector. It cannot be based on student debt. It’s got to be based on public funding…”

Sean Wallis, UCU branch secretary of UCL, addressing the crowd said: “Newcastle hangs in the balance and we have to make sure Newcastle wins and in order to do that we have to risk solidarity from every branch.” “If Newcastle wins, everyone wins.”

Newcastle University UCU branch chair Matt Perry addressing the crowd: “This is a tipping point for Higher Education. We have to fight for every job.” “If you look at what’s happening in the UK at the moment, all eyes are on Newcastle.”

Edinburgh UCU festooning the Monument.

The UCU’s national demonstration has just started to arrive at the Monument.

The march progressing to its destination of Monument.