Returning Officer Andrew Knott annouces Labour victory at Forest of Dean

Tindle News

Labour gain Forest of Dean

Transcript

00:00Good morning, everyone. I, Andrew Knott, being the Acting Returning Officer at the election

00:13of a Member of Parliament for the Forest of Dean constituency, have on Thursday 7th July

00:192024, to the hit by your notice, the number of votes recorded of each candidate at the

00:25election is as follows. Matt Adrian Bishop, commonly known as Matt Bishop, Labour Party,

00:3216,373. Stanley Burbant Livingston Goodin, commonly known as Stan Goodin, Reform UK,

00:428,194. Mark James Harper, the Conservative Party candidate, 16,095. James Michael Joyce,

00:53Liberal Democrats, 2,604. Christian Andrew McFarlane, commonly known as Chris McFarlane,

01:00the Labour Party, 4,735. The Green Party, 4,735. Saheem Sikdar, Socialist Labour Party, 90.

01:15There were 233 rejected ballot papers and I do hereby declare that Matthew Adrian Bishop

01:23is duly elected Member of Parliament for the Forest of Dean constituency.

01:46Wow. I'm tired. Firstly, I would like to thank the Acting Returning Officer, the police,

01:54all the staff here today, who have given up their time over the last week. It's not just

01:59today, it's important to recognise that. They've upheld the democratic process in a professional

02:04and efficient way. They've made the people here tonight and throughout the week that

02:09the processes wouldn't be as efficient and I think it's important we recognise all their

02:13efforts. So thank you to all the staff here.

02:23I'd also like to thank the local Labour team, my campaign team, my agent Rose, wherever

02:29she is, and the many volunteers who have helped me get our message out during this campaign.

02:36It's been a long four or six weeks, if that makes sense. But most of the team here, well

02:42more than my team, have played so much of their own time into the process and I look

02:47forward to building our team even stronger over the coming weeks, months and years.

02:52I'd also like to thank my fellow candidates. We've fought a strong but fair election and

02:58it's not easy to put yourself up for a role such as this, I can assure you. Being constantly

03:03scrutinised, challenged on the doorstep is very hard. But it's right that we give people

03:08a shot and without people being willing to put themselves forward for election, we wouldn't

03:13enjoy the democracy that we have in this country. And I'd also like to just give an extra thanks

03:18to Mark. He's been the MP for the Forest of Dean for 19 years, as I'm sure you're aware.

03:24And whilst we may disagree fundamentally on policy, I know his work with the best interests

03:30of the residents of the forest at his heart and I wish him well in the rest of the future.

03:37I'd like to express my gratitude to the residents of the forest for the faith they've placed

03:48in me and the Labour Party. I don't underestimate the privilege that they've given me and I

03:53want to acknowledge that for some, this will be the first time that they've voted for Labour.

03:58So I want to assure all constituents, whether you voted for me or not, that I will not be

04:04a stalwart, or even if you're a stalwart of the Labour Party, sorry, I will fully intend

04:09to carry out my work with a sense of service and duty to all of you and I'll represent

04:14each and every one of you to the best of my ability.

04:18This victory is not mine alone, however. It's the sum of years of practical support and

04:23emotional encouragement from my friends, my family and colleagues who supported me through

04:29life's twists and turns and they've built me to this point and it wouldn't be right

04:34to lay more of them because there's too many people and their contributions can't really

04:38be put into words.

04:40And my final thanks must go to my immediate family, my wife and children. Your unwavering

04:46support and encouragement during both the positive times and those quiet times of doubt

04:51coupled with your unflinching belief in me have been my constant energy source.

04:57And finally, because I know you're all tired and you want to go home, I stood for elected

05:01office because I was witnessing in the community what I believe to be the effects of 14 years

05:07that the Conservative government has had. There's a breakdown in trust of politicians,

05:12there's a breakdown in public services and the cost of living crisis, meaning that in

05:172024 there are more people needing food banks than ever before.

05:22And I wanted to help try and improve this.

05:25And following the results here tonight and indeed across the country, it's clear that

05:30once again a new dawn has broken and isn't it wonderful?

05:35So we've turned the page, we look forward to a better, brighter future starting today.

05:40Thank you all.

05:42APPLAUSE

05:52Ladies and gentlemen, can I echo what Matt said about those, the acting returning officer

05:59and his team, who worked incredibly hard and for rather more hours than I suspect they

06:05had planned to plan this election and get the count sorted out.

06:11As Matt said, we're very privileged in this country to live in a democracy where we settle

06:17our differences by argument and debate.

06:21That is not a privilege that is accorded to millions of people around the world.

06:27People, for example, who live in Russia, where the leader of that country kills and imprisons

06:32his opponents rather than democratically debate with them.

06:36And democratic politicians in this country should be very clear about our values and

06:42those who we support and those around the world that we do not.

06:48The second thing I'd say is a huge thank you to my campaign team who've worked tirelessly

06:55through this election to get our message out.

06:59Obviously it is disappointing that it wasn't quite enough to get the result that I and

07:05they would have liked.

07:07I'd also like to thank my staff.

07:10They have worked tirelessly to support all of those who I have been privileged to represent

07:18for the last 19 years.

07:20One of the things that happens in elections is we all have our debates and arguments and

07:24then when you're elected to serve as a member of parliament you're very clear that you serve

07:29the whole community, whether they voted for you or not.

07:33You're their representative and you try and solve their problems and make decisions on

07:38behalf of all of them.

07:40And I know that is something that you will do to the best of your ability and I wish

07:45you every good luck in that.

07:48I would also like to say thank you to the people of the Forest of Dean for electing

07:53me to parliament, as Matt mentioned generously, for the last 19 years.

07:59It is an enormous privilege to serve in parliament.

08:03The reason is that you can make a difference and I am very proud, you'll be pleased to

08:07know I'm not going to give you a list of everything I've achieved in 19 years.

08:11I'll just draw two examples as an example of where you can make a difference.

08:15I'm very pleased that during the election campaign it was disappointing I wasn't able

08:19to attend officially but I'm delighted that we've now got a brand new community hospital

08:24in Cinderford, funded to the tune of £23 million that I was pleased to be able to secure.

08:31I'm also pleased that we have in progress something that we've worked in partnership

08:37on with all of the political parties actually in delivering the levelling up bid that's

08:42delivering improvements in Cinderford.

08:45We'll deliver improvements at Five Acres and we'll improve the opportunities for young

08:50people at Hertfordshire University.

08:52That's been a cross-party effort actually with those from the Labour Party, the Green

08:58Party in their capacities on the District Council working with me.

09:02That's something you can do when you work together.

09:06The final thing that I would like to say is that being the Member of Parliament for

09:12the place that both Matt and I call home, the Forest of Dean, is an enormous privilege

09:18and a great honour.

09:20It's one I've been very pleased to have for the last 19 years.

09:25I thank Matt for his generous words about my period of service and I'm sure he will

09:31strive to work incredibly hard to live up to the trust the people of the Forest of Dean

09:37have chosen today, well not actually today, yesterday, to place in him and I'm sure he

09:43will do them proud.

09:45So thank you all very much indeed and congratulations on your victory.

09:49Thank you all very much.

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