Labour gain Forest of Dean
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NewsTranscript
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.