It's been a tough three decades if you're a local Tory in Newcastle - or for that matter in Manchester or Liverpool.
Next month will mark a full 30 years since the Tories last claimed a victory in the city, an unhappy anniversary for those bidding to finally reverse the party’s fortunes on Tyneside come the local elections on May 5.
As the Local Democracy Service Reported this week, there has not been a single Conservative voice in the Newcastle City Council chamber since Sandra Gilfillan and Nina Hannaford’s terms in Jesmond and Kenton respectively came to an end in 1996.
