Meet the candidates standing in the Jarrow and Gateshead East constituency in the 2024 general election

Voters are due to head to the polls on Thursday, July 4, to elect a Member of Parliament for the newly formed Jarrow and Gateshead East constituency.

It is the first general election since 2019 with residents urged to have their say on who will lead the country for around the next five years.

We’ve given all candidates the opportunity to tell readers why they’re standing and why you should vote for them.

Here’s what candidates for the Jarrow and Gateshead East constituency had to say.

*Candidates are listed in the order they appear on South Tyneside Council’s list of candidates at the close of nominations.*

Lynda Alexander (Reform UK):

There was no picture or statement provided following the Gazette’s request.

Mark Conway (Alliance for Democracy and Freedom ADF):

“I have lived within the Jarrow and Gateshead East constituency all my life and have spent most of my working life here too.

“I am your local candidate. I have fundraised for many charities and work with Kinship charity as a volunteer giving peer to peer support.

”I am the only candidate who agreed to a hustings, Labour and Green candidates were “too busy” and the other candidates did not reply to the request.

”If you want to vote for unaccountable liberals, there are five other candidates for you to take your pick of.

“I will be standing for the majority who have been cowed into positions of silence, not daring to speak what they think for fear of having their reputations tarnished by a vocal minority who will not debate.

”It is not racist to control our borders, nor is it transphobic to care for women’s safety in sport, to challenge for the right of women to have safe spaces in which to dress, or children to be allowed the innocence of childhood.

“If you leave your children a world in which you never stood up, they’ll inherit a world in which they can’t.”

Read more: General election 2024: Everything you need to know for polling day in South Tyneside

Nic Cook (Green Party):

“I am committed to making Jarrow and Gateshead East a fair and more equal place for residents to live, work and play.

“I will prioritise fair access to work and housing, an inclusive economy, and community health and wellbeing.

“I want to make sure that politics reflects the diversity of the people in Jarrow and Gateshead East, and as a constituency in the region with the highest number of Disabled people in the UK, I can be a candidate that is not only representative but understands the barriers to participation faced by many.

“I am a solo parent with lived experience of poverty and my identity is tied into South Tyneside.

“As are my politics which puts people, our natural environment, fairness, and community first. 

“In my work, I campaign for inclusion, accessibility, and participation for those left behind by local and national policy decisions, and to make sure that communities are included in the decisions that impact us.

“I can be a positive voice for our community and make sure local peoples voices are heard on the issues important to them. 

“I believe that my skills, knowledge, and lived experience make me a positive choice as your Green Party General Election candidate for Jarrow and Gateshead East.”

Jack Gebhard (Conservative Party):

“I was born and bred in the North East. I know this is a place with so much to offer.

“People here work hard for what they’ve got and I’ve always believed it is up to them to choose what is right for their family and how they spend what they’ve earned.

“That’s why I’m asking you to vote for a party that supports lower taxes and free choice.

“Labour have a record in government of increasing taxes and hitting you in the pocket.

“Only a vote for the Conservatives can prevent Keir Starmer being handed a blank cheque to put up your taxes.”

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Kate Osborne (Labour Party):

"I am proud to have represented people in the Jarrow constituency and honoured to stand as your Labour candidate for Jarrow and Gateshead East.

"Our North East communities have been failed by Conservative Governments. We have suffered 14 years of cuts, high inflation, stagnating wages, child and pensioner poverty numbers up, rents and mortgages sky rocketing, crises in housing, social care, NHS, schools and local authorities budgets slashed in half.

“The welfare system is broken, crime has risen and businesses are struggling. Everywhere you look the Tories have failed.

"I have been holding the Tories to account, fighting on issues including the Horizon Scandal, WASPI, NHS, Women, Equalities and defending workers rights - but we need a Labour Government that can make a difference and rebuild our country.

"Labour’s commitments for a New Deal for workers, to get the NHS back on it’s feet, to provide decent housing for all, to tackle anti social behaviour with more community policing, to invest in education with 6500 new teachers, to cut NHS waiting times, to set up Great British Energy and to deliver economic stability is exactly what the country needs.

"So Vote Labour and help us change the country for the better."

Jamie Rickelton (Liberal Democrats):

“Jarrow and Gateshead East has been left behind for too long and it's time that the constituency gets a fair deal.

“I'm determined to serve and represent the area to the best of my ability and I stand on a manifesto made to save the NHS and care.

“The people here deserve so much better than they get in the way of public services. Nearly a decade since the Tories got free rule of our country and what have we seen?

“A botched Brexit, sleaze and scandal, our waterways polluted and eye-watering national debt.

“The opportunity of a new government to address these and all the other issues is here and I hope I can rely on your votes for me in order to bring about positive differences to your lives.

“I've lived in the North East of England for 34 of my 36 years of age and I'm honoured to call this region my home.

“My family is here, my friends are here and if I'm lucky enough to be elected as MP I'll work hard to turn our fortunes around for a Better Britain and the best for Jarrow and Gateshead East.”