LABOUR has its first MP in Filton & Bradley Stoke since the constituency was created 14 years ago.
Community engagement worker Claire Hazelgrove beat sitting Conservative MP Jack Lopresti by exactly 10,000 votes in July 4’s general election.
As well as being the first time Labour had won the seat, it was also the first time residents of Emersons Green and Lyde Green had voted for Filton & Bradley Stoke’s MP: the Kingswood constituency that previously covered most of the area was abolished in a boundary change.
Mr Lopresti had been defending a majority of 5,646 from the 2019 election, when he received 48.9% of all the votes cast.
But the number of votes he received fell by more than half, from 26,293 five years ago to 12,905, leaving him with just over a quarter of the total this year.
Ms Hazelgrove increased Labour’s share of the vote from 38.4% to 45.5%.
The total number of Labour votes was just 2,258 higher than in 2019, but the collapse in the Tory vote resulted in a swing of 17.6% to Labour.
Reform UK’s Stephen Burge came third, with 6,819 votes. Unlike some nearby constituencies where Conservatives lost, Reform’s vote was smaller than the size of the Labour majority.
Its predecessor, the Brexit Party, had not stood a candidate in the constituency in 2019, after unilaterally deciding not to contest the seats of sitting Conservative MPs.
The Greens stayed in fourth place but increased their share of the vote from 2.9% to 8.2%.
The Liberal Democrats, who had concentrated their campaigning in neighbouring Thornbury & Yate, fell from third place to fifth.
Turnout in the election was 65.12%, down from 72.6% in 2019.
Speaking after the result was declared in the early hours of July 5, Ms Hazelgrove said: “It’s the honour of my life to stand before you as Filton & Bradley Stoke’s first Labour MP.
“I’d like to thank everyone across our community who put their trust in me and in Labour to restore civility, security and fairness.
“I know that many people voted Labour for the very first time in this election.
“I will work hard to repay your trust, but no matter how you voted. I will work every day to serve everyone in our communities as an active, impactful and approachable MP you can be proud of.
“Coming from a family of teachers, NHS workers and RAF service members, I’ve long believed in the importance of stepping forward to serve others.
“It will take time to deliver the scale of the change that Britain needs, but in me you have an MP who will listen and act and a government on your side again.
“While the campaign may have ended, the hard work of change starts now. Let’s get to it.”
Mr Lopresti, who had held the seat since it was created in 2010, thanked the “wonderful people of the Filton & Bradley Stoke constituency community” for their support over the last 14 years.
He said: “We’ve got a fantastic new town being built on the airfield site, a STEM learning centre which pays homage to our fantastic aviation heritage and history, and a permanent, fitting memorial for the last Concorde.”
Afterwards the Voice asked Ms Hazelgrove what the first thing she would do to improve life for her constituents.
The new MP said: “Local people voted for change, and I’ll be getting on with the job immediately. “I’ll be voting in support of the new Labour government’s programme to bring back security, stability and fairness so that we can start the hard work of change needed.
“I’ll also be setting up a local office and recruiting a great team to join me in serving local people well.”
Ms Hazelgrove said the two issues that had cropped up most on doorsteps during her two years of campaigning in the constituency were the cost of living crisis and the state of the NHS.
She said: “These are two of the top priorities for me as your new MP and for our new Labour government.”
Result
Claire Hazelgrove (Labour) 22,905
Jack Lopresti (Conservative) 12,905
Stephen Burge (Reform UK) 6,819
James Nelson (Green) 4,142
Benet Allen (Lib Dem) 3,596
Majority: 10,000
Turnout: 65.12%
MP writes: Page 12