I'm so proud to be the first MP from Fleetwood: Labour candidate after Blackpool North and Fleetwood win

Labour’s Lorraine Beavers spoke of her pride at being the first MP to come from Fleetwood after winning the Blackpool North and Fleetwood seat with a majority of 4,647 votes.

The constituency, previously Blackpool North and Cleveleys, had been held by Conservative Paul Maynard since 2010 and was comfortably won by him at the previous General Election in December 2019.

But the tide has turned against Rishi Sunak’s party and they were wiped out in numerous seats across the country.

In Blackpool North and Fleetwood, as in other seats, the Conservative vote was also hit by the rise of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.

Mr Maynard finished second in the poll, but Reform’s Dan Barker ended up a strong third behind him after the election count at the Marine Hall, Fleetwood.

Lorraine Beavers is a well known figure in Fleetwood, having grown up in the town and served as a Labour councillor at town council, borough and county level.

After being announced as the winner, Mrs Beavers paused at the microphone for a minute before thanking the returning officer, her agent, members of her family, Paul Maynrad and Fleetwood’s former MP Cat Smith, for their service in their respective seats.

She said: “Thankyou to the voters who have put their trust in me and I promise to those who have not voted to me, I will work tirelessly in your interests for our home.

“I know there will be many people who have voted Labour for the first time at this election and I will do everything I can to deliver the changes you have voted for.

“I’m so proud to be from Fleetwood and even prider I am the first MP to come from here.

“For too long we have been forgotten and I will make sure that stops right now.

“This Labour party works for the working people and we will fight for the people, otherwise what is it all for?

“The people of Blackpool North, Carleton and Fleetwood have chosen to end the chaos of Westminster so we can start to rebuild our country and I promise to get on with the job you have sent me to do in Westminster.”

The turn out was 57.19, lightly down on the 60,01 at the 2019 election.

The results were:

• Dan Barker (Reform UK) 9,913
• Lorraine Beavers (Lab) 16,744 (Elected)
• Jan Cresswell (Social Democrat Party) 147
• Gita Gordon (Independent) 148
• Bill Greene (Liberal Democrats) 1,318
• Paul Maynard (Con) 12,097
• Tina Rothery (Green Party) 1,269
• James Antony Rust (Official Monster Raving Loony Party) 174

Labour gain from Conservatives with a majority of 4,647