Labour win a 'profound responsibility' for MP elected to North Yorkshire town

LABOUR candidate Keir Mather has been elected MP for Selby.

The candidate who held the seat for Selby and Ainsty, until boundary commission reviews last year, was returned with 22,788 votes, or 46.3 per cent of the votes successfully cast.

Charles Richardson, candidate for the Conservative party, came second, receiving 25.6 per cent of the vote, or 12,593 votes.

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Reform UK candidate David Burns gained 9,565 crosses in the ballot box, or a 19.4 per cent share.

Angela Oldershaw of The Green Party and Christian Vassie for the Liberal Democrats received 5 per cent and 3.6 per cent share respectively.

Acting returning officer Richard Flinton said the turnout for Selby was 63.3 per cent.

'People's mortgages are still sky-high, energy bills are still up and the price of food still is through the roof'

In his acceptance speech Mr Mather said: “I’d like to thank the people of the newly formed Selby constituency, for electing me to be this seat’s first ever representative, for putting your faith in me to represent you, for giving me the opportunity to serve our community, and for granting me the chance to fight for your interests.

“It is a profound responsibility.”

Mr Mather won his first seat in Selby & Ainsty, on July 20 last year, with 45.96 per cent of the vote on a turnout of 44.7 per cent.

His majority of 10,195 is more than double the 4,161 secured in last year’s by-election.

When asked by The Press what was at the top of his inbox for priorities in Selby, Mr Mather said: “Cost of living support is still the number one thing that I need to provide to residents in the Selby area.

“People’s mortgages are still sky-high, energy bills are still up and the price of food still is through the roof.

“People need to know that they have an MP who is on their side and is cracking on with giving them the help they need from day one.

Labour party heavyweights who appeared on the campaign trail with Mr Mather included the likes of Rachel Reeves, expected to become Chancellor of the Exchequer in Sir Keir Starmer’s first cabinet, and Ed Milliband, former leader of the Labour Party and currently the Shadow Secretary of State for Climate Change and Net Zero.

The new Mayor of York and North Yorkshire David Skaith also appeared on Selby’s doorsteps with the new MP during his general election campaign.

On how he intends to work with the head of the new combined authority, Keir Mather said: “It’s absolutely crucial for progression in Selby and I’m so excited about the plans that the Labour Party has when it comes to devolution, to bring power closer to people who are ultimately the ones who are best placed to make decisions about what’s best for their local communities.

“Having a united Labour team with David Skaith as the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, working with Oliver Coppard in South Yorkshire and Tracy Brabin in West Yorkshire, that united Labour team is going to be able to deliver on things that really matter, especially issues like transport, which is run over county boundaries, in Yorkshire especially.”