Phil Brickell ‘looking forward to getting to work as soon as possible’

Labour’s Phil Brickell has said he is ‘looking forward to getting to work as soon as possible’ after beating Conservative Chris Green by more than 4,000 votes in the General Election.

With a turnout of 59.79 per cent, Mr Brickell gained 17,363 votes – or around 39 per cent. Incumbent Mr Green was in second, with 12,418 votes. Reform UK’s Dylan Evans gained 8,517, while the Green Party’s Vicki Attenborough came fourth with 4,132.

The Liberal Democrats came fifth with 1,966 votes, while the English Democrats’ Patrick McGrath came last with just 202 votes.

Earlier in the night, Mr Brickell had been cautious to speak with media – assuring them he would engage in conversation after the result had been declared.

Released hours earlier, the exit poll run by Ipsos UK for Sky News, the BBC, and ITV had predicted that Mr Brickell would gain the seat with a 98 per cent likelihood – something a buoyed Green had – with tongue firmly in cheek – said put his chances at double what the exit poll had predicted in 2017, when he retained his seat.

ALSO READ: Chris Green’s advice to Phil Brickell after losing his seat.

Speaking to the Bolton News after stepping down from the stage, Mr Brickell said: “I’m delighted that we’ve got a really good result here in Bolton West, the first time since 2010 that we’ve won the seat as a Labour party, and we’ve already had the declaration in Bolton South & Walkden.

“The Bolton North East one will be coming shortly and I’m hoping that we’ll have three Labour Members of Parliament going to Westminster next week, working hand in hand with a Labour-controlled council and a Labour government to deliver for the people across this borough.”

Mr Brickell ended up getting his wish – with all three Bolton seats going to Labour.

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Asked about what he thought of the impact of the increase in votes for Reform UK, Mr Brickell said: “I think a lot of people were fed up with a Conservative government that had failed to deliver on lots of promises that it had made, and people were clearly frustrated and wanted to express that at the ballot box.

“But I’m very proud with the result for the Labour party.

“We ran a strong, positive campaign throughout the course of the six weeks that the short campaign was going, and I’m very proud of the track record and our positive future for a better Bolton, for better towns.

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“Whether it’s on the economy, fixing public services, and delivering on those promises to genuinely provide opportunities for people across the borough.”

Asked what his first priority would be when he arrives at the House of Commons, Mr Brickell said: “I’m taking everything one day at a time – there’s a lot to get to grips with.

“I want to make sure that I can be as strong a voice as I can be for the people in Bolton West, whether they voted for me or not, on those green benches in Westminster starting next week, and I’m relishing the challenges and the opportunities that will present, and I’m looking forward to getting to work as soon as possible.”

If you have a story, I cover the whole borough of Bolton. Please get in touch at jack.fifield@newsquest.co.uk.