2024 general election results: 'You've stood by me for over a decade' says Labour candidate as he finally becomes MP on fourth attempt while Labour also wins in Halifax

Josh Fenton-Glynn took the Calder Valley seat from the Conservatives for his party.

The Calderdale Council cabinet member, who is from Hebden Bridge, is now heading for Westminster with victory at the fourth time of asking in the seat vacated by retiring MP Craig Whittaker.

He had been unsuccessful in the 2015, 2017 and 2019 campaigns but that changed with a 8,991 majority over Vanessa Lee, who was defending the seat for the Conservatives.

Praising family, friends, and his election team Mr Fenton-Glynn said: “You’ve stood by me for over a decade.”

And he said he felt a massive weight of responsibility to deliver for everyone in the constituency, those who had voted for him and those who had not.

Of the Calder Valley and its people, Mr Fenton-Glynn said: “I really love this place and want to make a difference to it.”

Mr Fenton-Glynn said it was clear people had voted for change – not only ending the “chaos” seen in recent years but also in support of certain things, such as the health service, schools and the environment.

“We must be clear about the challenges we face – now we must deliver the change you have asked us for.

“It’s my determination that we will make sure people feel that difference in the Calder Valley,” he said.

Mr Fenton-Glynn said he hoped to earn the trust people had put in him and pledged: “I will do everything I can to be Calder Valley’s voice in Westminster, not Westminster’s voice in the Calder Valley.”

He said it was an opportunity to make a difference for the area and with he and his team having spoken to around 10,000 people in the six weeks of the campaign, the cost of living crisis was a big driver.

“Also people didn’t feel like they had much hope in this country – bringing back hope is something as a government we have to do,” said Mr Fenton-Glynn.

Ms Lee was clear in second and Donald Walmsley was in third for Reform UK with 7,644 votes.

The Green Party’s Kieran Turner and Liberal Democrat Donal O’Hanlon both polled strongly too, with less success for the Yorkshire Party’s James Vasey and the Social Democratic Party’s Jim McNeill.

With 49,796 ballots cast, turnout was 64.37 per cent, down on 2019’s 72.9 per cent.

RESULT

CALDER VALLEY

John Fenton-Glynn (Labour) 22,046

Vanessa Lee (Conservative) 13,055

Jim McNeill (Social Democratic Party) 171

Donal O’Hanlon (Liberal Democrat) 2,587

Kieran Turner (Green Party) 3,701

James Vasey (Yorkshire Party) 404

Donald Walmsley (Reform UK) 7,644

Maj: 8,991

LAB GAIN

In Halifax, Kate Dearden held the seat for Labour.

Ms Dearden, defending the seat for the party with former MP Holly Lynch stepping down at this election, said people were desperate for change and Labour would work to revitalise the economy, restore trust in public services and believe in Britain.

She was “honoured and grateful” people had put their trust in her.

“I promise I will work tirelessly , I will not let you down.

“Halifax and the country have called out for change,” she said.

The town and the country had chosen to move forward, said Ms Dearden, and wanted Labour to tackle problems whether this was the cost of living crisis, NHS waiting lists or access to your GP.

“We have a long and difficult road ahead of us to get Britain fighting back.

“Change doesn’t come overnight, but I promise you it will come.

“You have voted for change – we have to work at delivering it.

“In Government I will be fighting for Halifax and making sure we get our fair share,” she said.

Parties were talking about a Reform factor in the Halifax contest and this can be best summed up by Ms Dearden’s winning margin – her 14,135 putting her a comfortable 6,269 votes clear of second place.

Votes for Conservative runner-up Hazel Sharp won 7,866 votes – less than 100 more than third placed James Griffith-Jones who won 7,811 votes.

Added together, the figure would have been greater than Ms Dearden’s winning margin.

The Green Party’s Martin Hey, his party’s first councillor in Calderdale, was very pleased to see them polling three or four times the amount of votes than last time out, while Liberal Democrat group leader on Calderdale Council, Paul Bellenger, was happy with his party’s performance.

In May’s Calderdale Council elections, Park ward went from Labour to the Workers Party of Britain, with the winning candidate Shakir Saghir not replicating that success in the Parliamentary contest but garnering more than 2,500 votes.

Independent Perveen Hussain gained more than 1,300 votes.

In all 40,341 ballots were cast, a turnout rate of 52.04 per cent, down from 2019’s 64.6 per cent.

HALIFAX

Result:

Kate Dearden (Labour) 14,135

James Griffith-Jones (Reform UK) 7,811

Martin Hey (Green Party) 4,133

Perveen Hussain (Independent) 1,367

Samuel Jackson (Liberal Democrat) 2,359

Shakir Saghir (Workers Party of Britain) 2,543

Hazel Sharp (Conservative) 7,866

Maj: 6,269

LAB HOLD