'It took us a bit by surprise' - York Outer's new MP speaks with The Press

Luke Charters, the new MP for York Outer, celebrated his victory by declaring an end to the ‘sticking plaster solutions of the populist right’ in his victory speech - and pledging his support to his constituents.

The former fraud investigator was speaking after sweeping to victory in the election for York Outer – a constituency that he won with ease, receiving 23,161 or 45.3 per cent of the total votes cast, allowing for a majority of 9,391 over former MP Julian Sturdy.

In his victory speech, he started by thanking volunteers and family before giving thanks to his fellow candidates, naming Andrew Hollyer (Lib Dem) and Julian Sturdy (Conservative) specifically as he said: “You have given many years to public service, York Outer is a better place for what you two bring."

Continuing, he said: “We ran this election as a changed Labour Party. Thank you for putting your trust in us to change the country.

“Never again will we go back to the chaotic politics of recent times. This is not the time for sticking plaster solutions of the populist right and I’m glad that the people of York Outer have recognised that.”

Following his victory, Mr Charters spoke to The Press saying: “It’s a hugely positive result and I will forever be grateful for putting their trust in me, so thank you. For a while now, we’ve felt as if doorstep conversations have been really positive.

“I’ve loved being stopped in the street, I’ve loved meeting people, I’ve been having a pint in the pub and the chats there but of course, this was a huge result in York Outer. It did take us a bit by surprise with the scale of the result but we’re just hugely grateful to every single person who has put their trust in me and I plan to repay that tenfold."

He said Labour had seen a ‘180 turn around under Keir Starmer’.

Outlining his personal mission as an MP, Mr Charters added: “I’m hugely invested in the NHS, my family have been really depended on that.

“The waterways in York, our precious rivers - I want to restore that, but also my professional background has been in counter fraud, so I want to bring that experience on a national level.

“Fraud is the highest crime in Britain, the biggest crime, and I want to use my experience in the private sector to see how to better protect victims of fraud on a national level.”

As for his celebratory plans? Mr Charters said that he couldn’t wait to get home and see his son for a bit of ‘family time’ before the chaos of life as a MP begins.