00:00Yeah, well John first of all congratulations on the news tonight that you're receiving a peerage
00:06So tell us a little bit of you know your reaction to that
00:08Well, I'm very pleased to do that look forward to continuing a lot of the political campaigns
00:13I've been running over the years particularly backing British industry and getting Britain working and also
00:19Working to support a Labour government, which is pretty certainly what we're going to have today
00:24How long have you known about this peerage?
00:27past
00:28Quite a while then I'm coming. Okay
00:33For you then it was quite an odd night tonight because so many years you've been here with the pressure on you personally
00:41So, how are you feeling this evening? Are there any regrets that you're not the one standing tonight?
00:46Well, it's been an interesting and strange campaign. Normally I've been out there campaigning for myself
00:52I've been very pleased at the reaction that I've had but also for my successor Berinda Joe saying
00:58Because many people know him for the work he's done in the community and his father before before him
01:04but also I've been very pleased to hand over to someone who I know will do a good job for the people of
01:10Smethwick and Albury so I'm
01:12Delighted in that in that sense, but I've always enjoyed being an elected politician
01:17I've now got to adapt to a new way of life
01:20But what a night to do it when we're heading towards a historic historic victory
01:25So your thoughts then when you saw the the exit poll come out at 10 o'clock
01:30Yeah, that was I must say that exceeded my my expectations. You always fear being a
01:37politician having having lost a by
01:40Well, I won a by-election and then lost a seat in Northfield
01:43You always look slightly on the pessimistic side and a bit of uncertainty
01:48But I think basically the message the public were giving to us
01:51They've delivered at the poll and that is they've had enough they were fed up. They wanted shots of the Tories
01:57They wanted they want a new start now that the all the onus is on us to deliver that
02:02I look forward to playing that part. I'll be it from a different house
02:06So what does happen next for you then this is a new start for you as well with this period?
02:10So is there a time frame now where what happens next? Well, I'm gonna go and find out I
02:16Mean essentially it's slightly uncharted uncharted territory. We have to get sworn in and then
02:22You know find out because the laws works differently from the from the Commons
02:27But it will be a case of focusing on issues
02:30I've been interested in as I said, you know economic efficiency getting British industry back to where it should be
02:37But also on defense and security which is enormously important in the in the current environment
02:43I look forward to exploring that new environment, but I will miss the constituents and all the you know
02:50The work I've been able to do which is actually sometimes frustrating because of bureaucracy
02:56But other times very satisfying when you can cut through that for the benefit of ordinary people who deserve better
03:02It's good to see you down here tonight. Anyway, thanks for talking to us my pet night my pleasure and
03:07We'll be watching the results here, but we'll also be watching the television
03:14Obviously you are standing down
03:16We still without an advisory capacity for whoever wins tonight. Whoever if people want to ask me I'm always prepared but
03:23This people have to make their own
03:27No people always do things slightly differently no good me saying how I would I would do it
03:33What I would say is if you look at the results in the Wally now Smethwick constituency
03:38Over many elections. I think it's shown that we've had a formula that
03:43The works one that actually delivers for the public and what I'm pleased to see both in the figures
03:50But also in the response we've had in the doorstep is the public seem to understand and appreciate appreciate that
03:56That's a very rewarding part of the part part of the job. We've been delivering for them and tonight
04:03I'm sure they'll be delivering for us a change is going to come I
04:06Think it already has
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