The Northern Echo's political commentator Chris Lloyd looks at how Theresa May's shock announcement may affect the local political landscape

CYNICAL but understandable. Despite Theresa May having repeatedly stated that there will be no snap election, the weekend polls putting Conservative Party more than 20 points ahead were too big a temptation for the Prime Minister to resist.

It is not just her position of strength, because calling an election means unleashing a whirlwind of unpredictable events, but Labour’s weakness, and that was exemplified by Tees Valley MP Tom Blenkinsopp announcing he would not be standing even before Mrs May had taken to her podium outside Downing Street.

Mr Blenkinsop is the MP for Middlesbrough South & Cleveland East, which was once known as Langbaurgh and has historically been one of the most hotly contested marginals in the area. Mr Blenkinsop held it in 2015 with a majority of 2,268, and since that election has made little secret of his dismay at the direction of Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party. He memorably suggested the party was becoming a post-1960s left-wing talking shop where people sat around singing kumbaya, and police have investigated threats made against him because of his views.

In his statement, Mr Blenkinsop said: “I have made no secret about my significant and irreconcilable differences with the current Labour leadership. It is because of these differences I feel I cannot in good faith stand as the Labour candidate for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland.”

Aged 36, Mr Blenkinsop is a former steel union worker and his withdrawal must show the depths of despondency that the non-Corbynistas feel.

Elsewhere in the region, the Conservatives have very few candidates in place to tackle the sitting Labour MPs.

With Labour 21 points behind in the most recent polls, Darlington looks like a proper marginal seat. It is held by Ms Chapman with a 3,158 majority. She is probably closer to Mr Blenkinsop politically than she is to Mr Corbyn, and having initially stepped down from Mr Corbyn’s shadow cabinet, she is now a shadow Brexit minister.

And if the polls are to be believed – perhaps a big if – with up to a 200 seat Conservative majority predicted, local Tories will again by eyeing Bishop Auckland, where Helen Goodman has a 3,508 majority.

Two other seats are subjects of fascination. In City of Durham, Roberta Blackman Woods has a whopping 11,439 majority, but traditionally this is a Lab/LibDem marginal. It was only because the LibDems fell away so badly in 2010 that Ms Blackman Woods had such a healthy majority. But, Durham as a university seat must be considered to be pro-Europe which may invigorate the pro-EU LibDems. This looks a very difficult seat to read.

And then to Hartlepool, where Iain Wright has a 3,024 majority. It is part of the Brexit coastal strip – there was a 69.57 per cent out vote here – and Mr Wright was pushed close in 2010 by a credible Ukip candidate. This looks to be a seat which will test where Ukip’s future lies: will voters dare back Mrs May to see Brexit through, or will they consider Ukip still has a place in British politics?