00:00I, Tom Raiden, Acting Returning Officer for the Leeds South-Western Morley constituency
00:29at the election held on the 4th of July 2024, do hereby give notice that the number of votes
00:35cast for each candidate was as follows.
00:38Chris Bell, Green Party, 2,522 Howard Graham-Jews, Yorkshire Party, 664
00:48Michael James Fox, Liberal Democrats, 1,798 Andrea Marie Jenkins, the Conservative Party
00:57candidate, 9,258 James Kendall, Reform UK, 8,187
01:11Nigel Perry, Social Democratic Party, 99 Mark Sewards, Labour Party, 17,060
01:36I hereby declare that Mark Sewards is duly elected as the Member of Parliament for the
01:41Leeds South-Western Morley constituency.
01:59Thank you all so much.
02:01I'd like to start by thanking the Returning Officer and the County Agents for doing such
02:07an extraordinary job tonight.
02:10I'd also like to thank the police and the security team for keeping us safe too.
02:15I stand before you as the Labour Member of Parliament for my home, Leeds South-Western
02:21Morley.
02:24Alongside being a husband and a dad, this is the most important job I will ever do.
02:41I'd like to pay tribute to the most incredible campaign team, ably led by Jo, for their extraordinary
02:54work over the last year.
02:56And while it is not possible to thank and name every person who has helped on this campaign,
03:00I would be dragged from the stage if I attempted to do so, there are three people that I do
03:06want to mention.
03:08The first is my best friend and wife, Alice Mark.
03:16She has almost forgotten me and for our son Oscar.
03:20The second is my agent, Neil Dawson.
03:22Neil is a tremendous community champion in Morley and has always been a source of good
03:34advice and wisdom.
03:36And thirdly, Jane Hill.
03:38Jane Hill was a mentor to me and although she is no longer with us, there is no question
03:44that this result is as much to do with her as it is with anyone I know.
03:52I do want to pay tribute to Andrea Jenkins for her nine years of service as Morley and
04:04Outwood's MP.
04:06I also want to thank all of the other candidates in this election.
04:10It's not easy to put yourself forward for election, trust me, I do know, but the people
04:16of Leeds South West and Morley have placed their trust in me.
04:20It is an awesome responsibility.
04:24I know that many people chose to vote Labour for the first time yesterday.
04:28I know that many people chose to vote Labour for the first time in a long time yesterday.
04:34I will not let you down.
04:36I also know that there are many people who chose not to vote Labour in Leeds South West
04:42and Morley and I will work tirelessly to earn your support and your trust and your respect
04:48over the next five years.
04:50The result tonight is a historic one.
04:54It seems as though the country has indeed voted for change.
04:58They have voted for a changed Labour Party, a Labour Party that we changed because we
05:04wanted to change the country we love.
05:06We will be a Labour government that is laser focused on the real priorities of working
05:12people.
05:14We will work day and night to secure our economic foundations.
05:18We will reduce bills and the cost of living.
05:20We will restore our NHS, secure our borders and fight for better opportunities for every
05:26child.
05:30But the scale of this challenge is obvious.
05:34There are no quick and easy solutions.
05:36We must never embrace the chaotic politics, the sticking plaster solutions that have characterised
05:43so much of our politics over the last 14 years.
05:47Now we can turn the page and we can approach our nation's problems with a return to the
05:53politics of public service.
05:55All of our politicians, all of our politics must be geared around serving the public,
06:01not serving ourselves.
06:03And it is with that mindset that we set about changing our country.
06:07It is with that mindset that I will serve the people of Leeds South West and Morley.
06:13You have given me the greatest responsibility of my life.
06:17Now I will get on with the job that you have elected me to do.
06:21Good luck Mark and savour this moment because I remember my moment those nine years ago.
06:35Our great returning officer was here, so enjoy.
06:39Thank you.
06:41Now to me it's always been about the people.
06:45I went into politics when I lost my dear dad.
06:49And it's been the real privilege of my life representing the straight-talking Yorkshire
06:56folk of Morley and Outwood these last nine years.
07:00I've met some amazing people.
07:02For example, I've got Peter in the audience who I met a decade ago, became friends with
07:08my mum and I, and he carried my mum's coffin as well.
07:11That's how much a friend he's become.
07:13I've met some local friends on the Brexit campaign who's here this evening as well.
07:20Now, I actually fought hard to save the heart of our Conservative Party.
07:27But sadly, nobody listened.
07:30I could sense that a wake-up call was coming.
07:34I was unpopular amongst my colleagues for speaking the truth.
07:42For nearly three months, I tried to unite conservatism.
07:47I met with Rishi Sunak.
07:50I met with Nigel Farage.
07:52I met with Richard Tice.
07:54We had meetings, we had phone conversations.
07:58And I feared that if we did not come together and instead take our fight to the socialists,
08:06then we would elect a Labour government which would change our country for the worst, forever.
08:21But sadly, arrogance and political egos would not let that happen.
08:27They were too big to put their country and its people first.
08:32Now, just look at the exit polls today.
08:35Look at the percentage of Conservative and Reform votes.
08:39We could have had a truly united Conservative alliance in government this evening.
08:50Now, good luck to my successor.
08:52As I said, it's a real privilege and the folk at Morley are truly amazing.
08:59I'd like to thank Will, my good friend of 15 years, my office manager.
09:07My team of volunteers, my team.
09:11And everybody who's come rain or shine, gone out for me over 11 years now.
09:17To my wonderful friends, Gloria, to Claire, for being here this evening.
09:24But I'm pragmatic.
09:25I have faith.
09:26I believe in God.
09:28And whatever God puts in our path, we are meant to deal with it and learn from it.
09:33Now, 18 months ago, my brave big sister, who is here today, Debra, she died twice, had to be resuscitated.
09:42She was in a coma and woke up paralysed from the neck down.
09:46At the same time, our amazing mum was dying from sepsis.
09:50Now, I think if you can get through that, you can get through anything.
09:54And Debra, my sister, she has learnt to walk again just the last few weeks because she wanted to enter my 50th birthday bash.
10:03Now, I'm actually honestly excited of what the next chapter holds and the next decade holds for me.
10:10But I think most importantly, to my darling son, who is my life, my little seven-year-old.
10:15I love being a mum.
10:17You're going to see more of mummy and that's not a bad thing.
10:21Now, I fear for our country under a Labour government.
10:25But whatever is left of our Conservative Party, please listen to the public this time.
10:32Please learn, please rebuild and please come back fighting.
10:37Thank you.
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