Mayor election results 2024 live: Conservatives lose West Midlands to Labour's Richard Parker – BBC News

In a parting shot, Starmer says Britain has “had enough of 14 years of decline, chaos and division” and that voters want “to usher in national renewal with Labour”.

He says the country wants change, and he calls for a general election “as soon as possible”.

Standing alongside Andy Street, Keir Starmer says the Tories thought they “could use [Andy] Street as a crutch” for Rishi Sunak’s weak leadership, but were wrong.

Starmer says Labour instead “humbly asked” the West Midlands to “put their confidence in a changed party and they did”.

He goes on to thank all who voted for Labour, and in a direct address to those who may have voted for the party previously, but felt on this occasion they couldn’t: “I’ve heard you and I’ve listened.”

“I hope to gain your respect and trust again in the future,” Starmer adds.

We just told you that Keir Starmer was going to the West Midlands to celebrate – he is now with the new West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker.

We’ll have the key quotes soon.

Our colleague Rajini Vaidyanathan just caught up with man-of-the-moment Richard Parker on the BBC News channel.

Parker says his victory in the West Midlands was the result “of a terrific amount of hard work”.

He says he knew the result would be close, and at times thought it might be “more difficult”.

Turning to his priorities as mayor, Parker commits to helping parts of the region that have been “left behind for too long”.

And after a sizeable share of the vote went to independent candidate Akhmed Yakoob – who campaigned on the issue of Gaza – Parker pledges to “build back trust within the Muslim community”.

We just brought you Keir Starmer’s reaction to Richard Parker’s win. I’m told Starmer was in the East Midlands watching the football in a pub, and then headed to the West Midlands to celebrate.

Andy Street tells the BBC “I did it my way” – and insists Rishi Sunak should lead the Conservatives into the general election.

He claims the fact he came so close proves the value of “moderate” Conservatism.

In the most exciting and perhaps most important result of the last 48 hours, Labour has narrowly seized the West Midlands mayoralty from the grasp of incumbent Conservative Andy Street.

This result will be deeply disappointing for Downing Street who were relying on not only winning the Tees Valley mayoralty to dispel some of the electoral gloom, but also to be able to trumpet Street’s victory.

In the event, Street’s defeat has served to underline the size of the electoral black hole in which the Conservatives find themselves.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer says the party’s victory in the West Midlands mayoral election is a “phenomenal result” and “beyond our expectations”.

“People across the country have had enough of Conservative chaos and decline and voted for change with Labour,” he says.

“Our fantastic new mayor Richard Parker stands ready to deliver a fresh start for the West Midlands.

“My changed Labour Party is back in the service of working people, and stands ready to govern.

“Labour will turn the page after 14 years of Tory decline and usher in a decade of national renewal. That change starts today.”

“You’ll be relieved to know this is a short speech,” begins outgoing Tory mayor Andy Street, alluding to the late result.

He thanks his fellow candidates for conducting a “courteous campaign”, before congratulating his successor, Labour’s Richard Parker.

“I wish him all strength and wisdom in the role,” he says.

Street then thanks his own team, saying it has been an “honour to lead you”, adding: “Sorry we couldn’t make that hat-trick.”

Finally, he thanks those who voted for him and for the “trust” they put in him.

Becoming emotional, he says it “has been my honour to serve and lead”.

Parker now says serving as mayor will be the “most important thing I will ever do”.

“You have put your trust in me and I will repay that trust. I will deliver for you and your family,” he says.

“I promise you that I will deliver jobs. We will fix our public transport system, we will build the homes you need, and we will give this region the fresh start it richly deserves.”

He also pledges to “stand up for all of our councils in the face of unprecedented Tory cuts”.

Labour’s Andy Parker, the new mayor of the West Midlands, takes his place at the podium to speak, after huge applause.

He starts by thanking outgoing mayor Andy Street, saying he’s led the region “through a number of great challenges, and you deserve credit for that”.

Parker thanks him again for building the authority “into the powerhouse it is today”.

He says that while their politics are different, “we have the best interests of the West Midlands at heart”.

The returning officer in the West Midlands mayoral race is now on stage with all the candidates and is reading the results – confirming Richard Parker as the winner.

As a reminder – you can watch live by pressing play at the top of the page.

The results are in – and it’s official.

Labour’s candidate Richard Parker has won Sandwell – the last of seven constituencies to be declared in the West Midlands mayoral contest.

Overall, he wins by 1,508 votes.

A Conservative source in the Midlands, with good knowledge of the campaign, tells me: “It was never going to end well, as the campaign was a mess.

“Literature arriving late, activists only turning up for photos. Too much hubris and arrogance, assuming we’d win ‘because it’s Andy’.

“Good experienced people not consulted, brought in or engaged. I’m gutted, the West Midlands is screwed.”

As a reminder, the final result in the West Midlands is due any minute.

Labour’s Richard Parker has been snapped having a final read-through of his speech.

Is it a victory speech? That’s what we’re expecting.

The candidates in the West Midlands mayoral race have just been asked to make their way to the media suite at the count.

Typically at election counts, candidates will be told the outcome before the results are announced publicly.

All that means we’re not far off confirmation of who the next West Midlands mayor will be.

The West Midlands result is a blow for the Conservatives. So what does it mean for the prime minister?

I’ve just asked a source close to Tory rebels. Their answer: “We’re still in the pub.”

The context: they appear to have decided yesterday that despite the results, they weren’t going to try to bring down the PM. Instead, they went to the pub.

I suppose it is a Bank Holiday weekend.

More signals now that Labour is confident it has won the West Midlands mayoral race.

Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves – sister of Ellie, who we mentioned previously – has posted a picture of herself alongside candidate Richard Parker.

She congratulates him for “running an incredible campaign and securing an amazing victory”.

“The West Midlands has voted for change,” she adds.

Labour’s deputy national campaign co-ordinator Ellie Reeves has congratulated candidate Richard Parker on what she claims is his “significant” victory in the West Midlands mayoral race.

As a reminder, the result is yet to be officially declared.

“Right across the country people have voted for change and the message is clear,” the Lewisham MP writes on X.

“It’s time for a general election and a Labour govt to get our country’s future back.”

My sources say Labour may have won this race by as little as 1,000 votes.

But they’re confident they’ve won.