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Newcastle Independents

Newcastle Independents, formerly known as Newcastle First, is a localist political party[1] based in Newcastle upon Tyne.

Newcastle Independents
LeaderTracey Mitchell
FounderJason Smith
Founded14 February 2011 (2011-02-14)
RegisteredPP05[1]
HeadquartersDenton Burn, Newcastle upon Tyne[1]
IdeologyLocalism
Councillors
3 / 78
Website
www.newcastleindependents.uk Edit this at Wikidata

Initially established as the Newcastle upon Tyne Community First Party, the party was registered with the Electoral Commission in February 2011 and fielded its first candidates in the 2011 City Council elections.

They won their first council seat in 2019, with two more elected in 2021. The party changed its name from Newcastle First to Newcastle Independents in July 2019, citing in local media a desire to avoid confusion with the far-right Britain First.[1][2]

As of May 2023, the party has three councillors elected to Newcastle City Council.

History and electoral performance

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An image of Tracey Mitchell, the leader of the Newcastle Independents and group leader on the City Council.

The party was founded by Jason Smith, a former Conservative Party member.[3] He was elected to the City Council for the Lemington ward in 2021 and stood down in November 2023 prior to the 2024 council election. He passed away in January 2024, having been diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer.[4][5]

The party has been led by Tracey Mitchell since the 2023 council elections.

Newcastle Independents stood for election under the registered description of It's Time to Put Newcastle First from 2011 to 2019 with some candidates standing under the registered description of Local Community Candidate in 2018 and 2019.

In 2018, The party endorsed two successful independent candidates in the Chapel ward, Olga and Ernie Shorton.[6] The pair had previously stood as candidates for the party but sat as independent councillors upon election.

In 2019, the party won its first council seat, with Ian Donaldson[7][8] being elected in Callerton & Throckley Ward[9] and the party coming second in both Lemington[10] and Denton & Westerhope Wards.[11]

In May 2021, two more candidates were elected to Newcastle City Council taking their total to three seats.

In May 2023, Newcastle Independents lost the Callerton and Throckley ward but gained two further seats to take their total to four seats.

In May 2024, The party lost a seat in Lemington to LabourandCo-operative candidate Stephen Barry-Stanners, reducing their total to three seats.

In June 2024, the party's leader, Tracey Mitchell, was announced as the election agent for Habib Rahman, an independent candidate standing in Newcastle Central and West at the 2024 general election.[12] Habib Rahman is a former Labour councillor in Newcastle, who resigned in January 2024 over the party's position on Palestine and "institutional racism within the party."[13] Rahman is not a member of the Newcastle Independents and sits as an independent councillor.[14]

Current Councillors

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Name Ward First Elected Notes
Tracey Mitchell Denton and Westerhope 2021 Leader of Newcastle Independents, term ends 2026
Adam Mitchell Denton and Westerhope 2023 Term ends 2026
Nix Joanne Lemington 2023 Term ends 2026

Former Councillors

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Name Ward First Elected Served Until Notes
Ian Donaldson Callerton and Throckley 2019 2023 Did not seek re-election
Jason Smith Lemington 2021 2024 Former Leader of Newcastle Independents

Newcastle City Council

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Year Votes % +/- Seats +/-
2018 2,615 3.4%  1.7%
0 / 78
  
2019 3,401 5.2%  1.8%
1 / 78
  1
2021 5,498 7.3%  2.1%
3 / 78
  2
2022 4,062 5.7%  1.4%
3 / 78
  
2023 3,139 4.7%  1.0%
4 / 78
  1
2024 2,032 2.8%  1.9%
3 / 78
  1

Local campaigns

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Newcastle Independents has led a number of campaigns including:

  • Campaigning for the Tyne and Wear Metro to be extended into Northumberland.[15]
  • Campaigning to prevent housing being built on green belt land.[16][17]
  • Creating a People's Mayor, if Newcastle established an elected mayor for the city.[18]
  • Calling for the creation of a council-owned energy company.[19]
  • Highlighting the state of grass cutting in Newcastle.[20]
  • Campaigning to stop the closure of Blackett Street to traffic.[21]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "View registration". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  2. ^ Holland, Daniel (8 July 2019). "Newcastle First changes its name". Evening Chronicle. Newcastle upon Tyne: Reach. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  3. ^ "Who are Newcastle First? Meet the man promising a change for city politics after historic win - Chronicle Live". www.chroniclelive.co.uk. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  4. ^ "Councillor Jason Smith died after 'breaking silence' of cancer". BBC News. 27 January 2024. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  5. ^ "Tributes paid to former Newcastle councillor | Newcastle City Council". www.newcastle.gov.uk. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  6. ^ "Local election fury as Lib Dems claim Newcastle First is 'made up' political party - Chronicle Live". www.chroniclelive.co.uk. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  7. ^ Holland, Daniel (4 May 2019). "Meet the man promising political change from the 'same old'". Evening Chronicle. Newcastle upon Tyne: Reach. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  8. ^ "Councillor Ian Donaldson". Newcastle City Council. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  9. ^ Holland, Daniel (3 May 2019). "Newcastle First make election history as Labour sees vote drop". The Northern Echo. Darlington: Newsquest. ISSN 2043-0442. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  10. ^ "Election results for Lemington". Newcastle City Council. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  11. ^ "Election results for Denton and Westerhope". Newcastle City Council. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  12. ^ General election - July 2024 - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West - Notice of Election Agents’ names and offices https://new.newcastle.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2024-06/20240607_Elections_General_July-24_Newcastle-Central-and-West_Notice-of-election-agents.pdf
  13. ^ "Ex-lord mayor of Newcastle quits Labour over Israel-Gaza stance". BBC News. 26 January 2024. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  14. ^ "Find Councillor". www.newcastle.gov.uk. 27 June 2024. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  15. ^ Scott, Sarah (13 April 2011). "Party calls for extension of Metro into Cramlington". The Journal. Newcastle upon Tyne: Reach. ISSN 0307-3645. Archived from the original on 15 July 2020. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  16. ^ "People power on show against Newcastle housing plans". The Journal. Newcastle upon Tyne: Reach. ISSN 0307-3645. Archived from the original on 16 July 2020. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  17. ^ Pearson, Adrian (21 February 2012). "Council bow to pressure over green belt building". Evening Chronicle. Newcastle upon Tyne: Reach.
  18. ^ Pearson, Adrian (10 April 2012). "City peers go head-to-head in Newcastle mayor row". Evening Chronicle. Newcastle upon Tyne: Reach.
  19. ^ O'Donoghue, Dan (22 April 2016). "Newcastle council urged to set up not-for-profit power firm to save residents hundreds". Evening Chronicle. Newcastle upon Tyne: Reach.
  20. ^ Holland, Danie l (12 July 2019). "Newcastle suburbs descend into grass jungle after council cuts". Evening Chronicle. Newcastle upon Tyne: Reach.
  21. ^ Holland, Daniel (18 December 2019). "Campaigners launch bid to 'save' Newcastle city centre street from closure". Evening Chronicle. Newcastle upon Tyne: Reach. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
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