Labour celebrate success on Tyneside

Alan Campbell continues as MP for Tynemouth

Labour has celebrated success in the party's traditional heartland of Tyneside.

One of the most closely-fought seats was Tynemouth, where the Conservatives failed to unseat Home Office minister Alan Campbell.

Foreign Secretary David Miliband held on to South Shields, and North East Minister Nick Brown Newcastle East.

Newcastle Central, Newcastle North, Blaydon, Gateshead, Tyneside North and Jarrow also remain Labour.

Alan Campbell gained 23,868 votes in Tynemouth, with his Conservative rival Wendy Morton polling 18,121.

In South Shields David Miliband had a majority of 11,109 over the Conservatives.

He said: "The Labour flame is burning brightly in South Shields and I look forward to preserving the gains we have made and advancing them through the next parliament."

Newcastle also has its first black MP - Chi Onwurah, who won the city's Central constituency.

She said: "I want to thank, above all, the voters of Newcastle. Tonight they have chosen a message of a positive future."

There has been no change in Northumberland, with Labour holding on to Blyth Valley and Wansbeck, while the Conservatives retained Hexham.

Alan Beith remains the Liberal Democrat MP for Berwick-upon-Tweed , though an 8.3% swing to the Tories left him with a majority of just under 2,700.