New Crewe & Nantwich MP Naismith aims to give people “hope”

New Crewe & Nantwich Labour MP Connor Naismith says he intends to bring “hope” to his constituents after winning back the seat.

Mr Naismith polled 20,837 votes pushing Conservative candidate Ben Fletcher into second place with 11,110. Reform were hot on the heels of the Tories polling 9,602.

In his speech immediately after the declaration, Mr Naismith thanked his wife, Laura, his friends and those who had campaigned for him.

He said it is an immense privilege to have been elected to represent his home, Crewe and Nantwich, in parliament.

“Most of all, I would like to thank the voters of Crewe and Nantwich for placing their trust in me to be their voice in parliament,” said Mr Naismith.

“And I am humbled by the many of you who told me that you would lend your vote to Labour, some for the first time ever, and I take that responsibility immensely seriously and I will work tirelessly to ensure that I do not let you down and that I deliver for you.”

He said voters had “decisively and conclusively decided to turn the page on 14 years of [Conservative] chaos, decline and failure to deliver on promises made and they have elected a Labour Party which is focused on the priorities of ordinary families in Crewe and Nantwich and up and down this country – economic security, cheaper bills, safer streets, getting our NHS back on its feet, secure borders and better opportunities for our children”.

The new MP added: “It is now incumbent on my colleagues and I to give back to people that which 14 years of Conservative government has stolen from them – hope.

“Hope that politics can be a force for change for the better, hope that you can trust your politicians to do as they say and put our communities first and party second, and hope that we can live in a society where fairness and dignity exists from the cradle to the grave.

“That is the task that is ahead for me and my colleagues in parliament, and I relish the opportunity to get to work.”

Mr Naismith, who represents Crewe West on Cheshire East Council, says he intends to resign from the council.

He said although he would obviously be spending time in parliament, “I think it’s really important to make it clear, I’m rooted here and this place is important to me.

“I really want to get to grips with the issues locally as much as I possibly can, as well as fulfilling my commitments in parliament.”

Conservative candidate Ben Fletcher said the result had come as no surprise to him.

He was selected as Conservative candidate after former MP Kieran Mullan jumped ship – according to many Tories in the hope of finding a safer seat.

Mr Fletcher said: “The first thing it’s really important to say is I warmly congratulate Connor Naismith on his election as the Member of Parliament, and I wish him every possible success over the next four or five years.

“With the polling as it had been for as long as it had been, it’s not a surprise that he’s won in this seat, particularly given that the boundary changes meant that the majority was, on paper, less than it had been in the 2019 election – so no, not a surprise.”

Results: Te Ata Browne (Green) 2,151; Ben Fletcher (Con) 11,110; Phil Lane (Workers Party) 373; Connor Naismith (Lab) 20,837; Brian Silvester (Putting Crewe/Nantwich First) 588; Matthew Theobald (Lib Dem) 2,286; Lord Psychobilly Tractor (Monster Raving Loony Party) 250; Matt Wood (Reform UK) 9,602.

(Story by Belinda Ryan, local democracy reporter)