Newcastle Independents Explained
| Newcastle Independents |
| Colorcode: | black |
| Leader: | Tracey Mitchell |
| Ideology: | Localism |
| Headquarters: | Denton Burn, Newcastle upon Tyne |
| Registered: | PP05 |
| Country: | England |
| Founder: | Jason Smith |
| Seats1 Title: | Councillors |
| Seats1: | |
Newcastle Independents, formerly known as Newcastle First, is a localist political party[1] based in Newcastle upon Tyne.
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..[2]
, the party has three councillors elected to Newcastle City Council.
History and electoral performance
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, 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
!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
| 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
| Year | Votes | % | +/- | Seats | +/- |
|---|
| 2018 | 2,615 | 3.4% | 1.7% | | |
| 2019 | 3,401 | 5.2% | 1.8% | | 1 |
| 2021 | 5,498 | 7.3% | 2.1% | | 2 |
| 2022 | 4,062 | 5.7% | 1.4% | | |
| 2023 | 3,139 | 4.7% | 1.0% | | 1 |
| 2024 | 2,032 | 2.8% | 1.9% | | 1 | |
Local campaigns
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]
Notes and References
- Web site: View registration . 2020-07-14 . Electoral Commission.
- News: Holland . Daniel . 2019-07-08 . Newcastle First changes its name . 2020-07-14 . . . Newcastle upon Tyne.
- Web site: Who are Newcastle First? Meet the man promising a change for city politics after historic win - Chronicle Live . 2024-06-26 . www.chroniclelive.co.uk.
- Web site: 2024-01-27 . Councillor Jason Smith died after 'breaking silence' of cancer . 2024-06-26 . BBC News . en-GB.
- Web site: Tributes paid to former Newcastle councillor Newcastle City Council . 2024-06-26 . www.newcastle.gov.uk.
- Web site: Local election fury as Lib Dems claim Newcastle First is 'made up' political party - Chronicle Live . 2024-06-26 . www.chroniclelive.co.uk.
- News: Holland . Daniel . 2019-05-04 . Meet the man promising political change from the 'same old'. 2020-07-14 . . Newcastle upon Tyne . Reach.
- Web site: Councillor Ian Donaldson . 2021-05-08 . Newcastle City Council.
- News: Holland . Daniel . Newcastle First make election history as Labour sees vote drop . 2019-05-03 . 2020-07-14 . . Darlington . . 2043-0442.
- Web site: Election results for Lemington . 2021-05-08 . Newcastle City Council.
- Web site: Election results for Denton and Westerhope . 2021-05-08 . Newcastle City Council.
- 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
- Web site: 2024-01-26 . Ex-lord mayor of Newcastle quits Labour over Israel-Gaza stance . 2024-06-26 . BBC News . en-GB.
- Web site: 2024-06-27 . Find Councillor . 2024-06-26 . www.newcastle.gov.uk . en-GB.
- News: Scott . Sarah . Party calls for extension of Metro into Cramlington . 2011-04-13 . 2020-07-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20200715065306/http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/local-news/party-calls-extension-metro-cramlington-4434130 . 2020-07-15. . Newcastle upon Tyne . . 0307-3645.
- News: People power on show against Newcastle housing plans . 2020-07-14. 2020-07-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200716065409/http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/north-east-news/people-power-show-against-newcastle-4419318 . . Newcastle upon Tyne . . 0307-3645.
- News: Pearson. Adrian. 2012-02-21. Council bow to pressure over green belt building . . Newcastle upon Tyne . Reach.
- News: Pearson . Adrian . 2012-04-10. City peers go head-to-head in Newcastle mayor row . . Newcastle upon Tyne . Reach.
- News: O'Donoghue . Dan . 2016-04-22. Newcastle council urged to set up not-for-profit power firm to save residents hundreds . Evening Chronicle. Newcastle upon Tyne . Reach.
- News: Holland . Danie l. 2019-07-12 . Newcastle suburbs descend into grass jungle after council cuts . . Newcastle upon Tyne . Reach.
- News: Holland . Daniel . 2019-12-18 . Campaigners launch bid to 'save' Newcastle city centre street from closure . 2020-07-14 . . Newcastle upon Tyne . Reach.
