The candidates for an upcoming by-election in North Tyneside have been revealed ahead of voters heading to the polls.
The election was forced after the former leader of the Labour group, Jim Allan, was forced to step down after failing to attend any meetings since November as he battles ill health.
The 71-year-old former deputy mayor has been suffering from giant cell arteritis, a disease that can cause severe headaches and even blindness, and has been shielding as he receives treatment. Mr Allan has also been battling mental health issues and coping with the serious illness of another family member.
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Mr Allan was first elected to represent Wallsend in 1983 and has served Camperdown ward since the early 2000s. Voters will go to the polls on July 14 to elect his replacement.
The candidates have now been revealed and are as follows:
- Liberal Democrats - Jay Beyer. Mr Beyer stood in the May local elections in the Benton ward. He received 244 votes and lost out to Josephine Mudzingwa of the Labour Party.
- Labour Party - Peter Gerard Earley - Mr Earley is a former Labour Party cabinbet member in North Tyneside, but was deselected in his former Benton ward ahead of the May local elections
- Local Conservatives - Haylee Elizabeth Josendale. Ms Josendale was previously a candidate in the Northumberland ward and received 500 votes in the May elections, but lost out to Linda Bell of the Labour Party.
- Green Party - Michael Andrew Newton - Mr Newton stood in the 2019 Local Elections in the Monkseaton South Ward, receiving 267 votes.
- UKIP - Jack James Thomson - Mr Thomson also stood in the May elections in the Chirton ward, receiving 89 votes.
North Tyneside Council is made up of 60 seats. The current make-up of the council is 50 Labour seats, nine Conservatives and one independent councillor.
The by-election has already caused controversy, with Labour branding the Conservatives an "absolute disgrace" after they accused Coun Allan of being the borough’s “laziest Labour councillor” despite his illness.
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