Lab held for 5 consecutive elections.
Grahame Morris
Labour PartyGrahame Morris is the Labour MP for Easington, and has been an MP continually since 6 May 2010.
MPs voted on whether to accept the remaining Lords amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill, a wide-ranging policing and criminal justice bill. This was a package vote covering multiple Lords changes, some of which the government accepted, others it rejected and replaced with alternative provisions, including on civil liberties issues such as freedom of expression and religion.
MPs voted on whether to pass the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill at its final stage in the Commons. The Bill makes changes to welfare benefits, including a gradual increase to the Universal Credit standard allowance, and had been debated at length including proposed amendments to speed up or expand those increases.
Vote on Amendment 38 to the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill, which would have provided greater certainty and protections for disabled people with fluctuating conditions while the government's review of PIP assessments (the Timms review) is ongoing. Critics argued the Bill was putting cuts before the review, leaving vulnerable people uncertain about their entitlements.
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Sign up freeCoverage of Easington has been mixed for Grahame across 40 recent articles.
Positive coverage
“County Durham MP backs bid for prison officer stab proof vests in Westminster debate” — The Northern Echo
Represented by Lab since 2024. Covers Seaham, Peterlee and Murton (County Durham). Population 94,060. Median income £25K (below average).
Investigation launched into "horrific" suspected arson attack in Seaham
Sunderland Echo - Sunderland Local news, sport and entertainment covering Wearside - www.sunderlandecho.com · 9 Apr 2026
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Sign up freeMedian Income▼
£25,000
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Mean Income▼
£28,900
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Businesses▼
1,975
VAT/PAYE registered (ONS 2024)
Schools▼
48
34 primary, 6 secondary, 8 other
Total Income Tax▼
£130m
from 39,000 taxpayers
Median Tax▼
£2,210
per taxpayer / year
Mean Tax
£3,340
per taxpayer / year
Source: HMRC Survey of Personal Incomes, tax year 2022-23. Allocated by taxpayer residence. Covers income tax only — excludes NI, VAT, and capital gains. Sample-based estimate (~8% confidence interval).
Attainment 8▼
41.9
average score (DfE)
GCSE Pass Rate▼
60.5%
5+ GCSEs 9-4 (DfE)
6 towns, 7 villages, rural areas — 92,527 total population
Source: ONS Built-Up Areas (Census 2021) + data.police.uk — crime rates are per 1,000 population (last 3 months)
Source: data.police.uk — street-level crime data aggregated from LSOA to constituency
20 councillors across 12 wards · Last elections: May 2024
| Ward | Party | Councillor | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackhalls | Labour Party | Rob Crute | May 2021 |
| Labour Party | Stacey Deinali | May 2021 | |
| Dawdon | Labour Party | June Watson | Nov 2023 |
| Deneside | Labour Party | John James Purvis | May 2021 |
| Labour Party | Rochelle Charlton-Lainé | May 2021 | |
| Easington | Labour Party | Angela Surtees | May 2021 |
| Labour Party | David John Boyes | May 2021 | |
| Horden | Labour Party | June Clark | May 2024 |
| Murton | Labour Party | Julie Ann Griffiths | May 2021 |
| Labour Party | Robert Adcock-Forster | May 2021 | |
| Passfield | The North East Party | Karen Hawley | May 2021 |
| Peterlee East | The North East Party | Diane Howarth | May 2021 |
| The North East Party | Terry Duffy | May 2021 | |
| Peterlee West | Labour Party | Louise Fenwick | May 2021 |
| The North East Party | Susan McDonnell | May 2021 | |
| Seaham | Labour Party | David McKenna | May 2021 |
| Labour Party | Karan Elizabeth Batey | May 2021 | |
| Shotton South Hetton | Independent Berwick Hills Resident | Christopher Ross Hood | May 2021 |
| Independent Berwick Hills Resident | Ivan Cochrane | May 2021 | |
| Wingate | Labour Party | John Robert Higgins | May 2021 |
Source: DCLEAPIL v1.0 by Jason Leman, LEAP (Andrew Teale) & Democracy Club. CC BY-SA 4.0. Data last refreshed: 1 Apr 2026.
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2019 GEWon 2017 GEWon 2015 GEWon 2010 GE | Lab | 16,774 | 48.9% |
| Ref | 10,232 | 29.8% | |
| Con | 3,753 | 10.9% | |
| Ind | 1,581 | 4.6% | |
| Green | 1,173 | 3.4% | |
| LD | 811 | 2.4% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2024 GEWon 2017 GEWon 2015 GEWon 2010 GE | Lab | 15,723 | 45.5% |
| Con | 9,142 | 26.4% | |
| Ind | 6,744 | 19.5% | |
| LD | 1,526 | 4.4% | |
| Ind | 1,448 | 4.2% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2024 GEWon 2019 GEWon 2015 GEWon 2010 GE | Lab | 23,152 | 63.7% |
| Con | 8,260 | 22.7% | |
| Ind | 2,355 | 6.5% | |
| Ind | 1,727 | 4.8% | |
| LD | 460 | 1.3% | |
| Green | 410 | 1.1% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2024 GEWon 2019 GEWon 2017 GEWon 2010 GE | Lab | 21,132 | 61.0% |
| Ind | 6,491 | 18.8% | |
| Con | 4,478 | 12.9% | |
| LD | 834 | 2.4% | |
| Ind | 810 | 2.3% | |
| Green | 733 | 2.1% | |
| Ind | 146 | 0.4% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2024 GEWon 2019 GEWon 2017 GEWon 2015 GE | Lab | 20,579 | 58.9% |
| LD | 5,597 | 16.0% | |
| Con | 4,790 | 13.7% | |
| Ind | 2,317 | 6.6% | |
| Ind | 1,631 | 4.7% |
Grahame Morris has not appeared in national political news coverage tracked by our system. This is common for backbench MPs who focus on constituency-level work rather than national policy debates.
16 articles hidden as not sufficiently relevant to this constituency
A suspected arson attack occurred in Seaham on Queen Alexandra Road, where two occupants escaped a deliberately set fire by jumping from an upstairs window. Durham Constabulary is investigating the incident as a serious crime and seeking information about two suspects.
The Train Line, a popular dessert restaurant chain, is opening a new location on Seaham seafront on North Terrace next month, replacing the former Tide restaurant. The opening has generated excitement on social media among locals and visitors.
This article celebrates the historical significance of The Argus Butterfly, a former music venue in Peterlee (within County Durham, near Easington) that hosted major rock bands including Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and Deep Purple during the late 1960s and early 1970s. It reflects on the venue's cultural importance to the region and its role in British rock music history.
Sarah Wilson, a 28-year-old apprentice nurse working in the Easington North Community Mental Health team, has been shortlisted for the Student Nursing Times Awards 2026. She was diagnosed as autistic at age 25 and has become an advocate for neurodivergent individuals in nursing, crediting NHS trust support and her own lived experience for enabling her success.
A Durham Police officer is facing gross misconduct charges for allegedly disclosing confidential information about a member of the public and failing to declare a personal association with someone he arrested. The hearing will take place at Peterlee Police Station in Easington constituency.
Peterlee's Fairclough Court Community Centre, closed since March 2021 due to Covid-19, has been approved for conversion into a three-bedroom residential property. The conversion aims to reduce ongoing utility costs and prevent building deterioration, with community consultation reportedly favourable.
Durham police responded to a burglary and criminal damage incident in Seaham, where a vehicle was damaged, a house ransacked, and cash stolen. The investigation is ongoing and police are seeking information from the public.
Police responded to disturbances in Wingate, County Durham, where crowds gathered outside homes demanding the removal of four individuals. The four people were relocated by police for their safety, with damage caused to one address and ongoing investigations into the incident.
Seaham Garden Village, a major £250m development comprising 1,500 new homes between Seaham and Murton in Easington constituency, is progressing with St. Modwen Homes opening its first show home and achieving 25% pre-sales. The development includes 750 affordable homes, a primary school, retail, health facilities, and extensive green spaces as part of the Government's Garden Village initiative.
A Durham Police officer is facing gross misconduct charges after allegedly assaulting a member of the public while off-duty and intoxicated in September 2025. The hearing will take place at Peterlee Police Station in the Easington constituency area, with potential dismissal being considered.
Sunderland City Council's pay policy statement was approved, with concerns raised about growing wage disparity between highest and lowest-paid staff. The gap between the chief executive's £215,022 salary and the lowest full-time position of £24,796 has widened significantly since 2018, though the council leader defended high executive pay as necessary to attract talent.
The popular Seaham car boot sale was cancelled on March 29 due to high winds. The event, which attracts around 230 sellers and over 4,500 buyers weekly, is an important community gathering and economic driver for the local area.
Seaham is to receive a new neighbourhood health centre as part of a £50m Government investment in primary care infrastructure across the North East and Yorkshire. The centre will offer extended hours (8am-8pm, six days a week) and integrated services including GPs, pharmacists, urgent care, and support services for debt, employment and family advice.
Easington MP Grahame Morris spoke in Westminster Hall debate backing calls for all prison officers to be issued with stab-proof vests, supporting a campaign led by former HMP Frankland officer Claire Lewis from Washington. The debate highlighted violence in prisons and the need for universal protective equipment for prison staff.
Call centre operator ResQ plans to create around 400 jobs by year-end across its Hull and Seaham locations following new contract wins in energy, telecoms, and automotive sectors. The expansion represents significant employment growth for the North East and Humber regions, with roles spanning customer service, team leadership, and operational support.
Hull-based customer service company ResQ, operating a contact centre at Spectrum Business Park in Seaham, is expanding significantly with around 400 new jobs company-wide and 80 positions at the Seaham location. This growth follows successful new contracts in energy, telecoms, and vehicle response sectors.
ResQ, an emergency response call centre operator with a significant base in Seaham, is creating 400 jobs by the end of the year across multiple UK locations, including expansion at its Spectrum Business Park site in Seaham. This follows 100 jobs added to the Seaham facility last year and represents growth driven by new contracts in automotive, energy and telecoms sectors.
A joiner from Bishop Auckland was convicted of drink-driving after consuming alcohol to mourn a relative's death and attempting to drive home. He received a 17-month driving disqualification, a £600 fine, and costs.
A new Public Living Room initiative has launched in Seaham, offering free weekly sessions to combat loneliness and mental health struggles through social interaction and community engagement. The programme, run by Nurture North CIC in partnership with charity Camerados, is already attracting people of all ages and has been warmly received by the local community.
A 71-year-old Wheatley Hill resident received his first drink-driving conviction in 50 years after colliding with another vehicle on Dunelm Road, Thornley in March. He was fined £120, banned from driving for 20 months, and told he could reduce the ban by completing a rehabilitation course.
A Peterlee man was convicted of four counts of theft from Boots in the Castle Dene Shopping Centre over a 17-day period in February-March, stealing cosmetics worth £739 to fund his cocaine addiction. He received a 12-month community order, full restitution requirement, and a one-year exclusion from all Boots branches in County Durham and Darlington.
A Seaham-based beautician, Audrey Huntley, is launching 'Glow and Grow', a community hub to support mental health in County Durham. The project aims to offer beauty treatments, counselling, workshops, and a cafe, addressing a perceived gap in mental health services locally, though funding and premises remain obstacles.
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