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| Version 33 | Version 34 |
|---|---|
| Labour celebrates West Midlands mayor win - BBC News | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Chris Mason | Chris Mason |
| Political editor, reporting from Birmingham | Political editor, reporting from Birmingham |
| What a moment. What jeopardy. | What a moment. What jeopardy. |
| Never let anyone tell you your vote doesn't count. | Never let anyone tell you your vote doesn't count. |
| This is a region of millions and millions. | This is a region of millions and millions. |
| With a gap between the Conservatives and Labour vanishingly small. | With a gap between the Conservatives and Labour vanishingly small. |
| Here in Birmingham's International Convention Centre, the tension palpable. | Here in Birmingham's International Convention Centre, the tension palpable. |
| The power, so often held by politicians, held by the people. | The power, so often held by politicians, held by the people. |
| The result was originally anticipated at 2:30pm. But that time came and went. So too did 3:30pm. | The result was originally anticipated at 2:30pm. But that time came and went. So too did 3:30pm. |
| Then news of what are known as "bundle checks" - where bundles of counted votes are checked again. And then news of a full recount in Coventry. | Then news of what are known as "bundle checks" - where bundles of counted votes are checked again. And then news of a full recount in Coventry. |
| Conservative and Labour sources reckoned there were around just 2,000 votes in it - across the entire region. | Conservative and Labour sources reckoned there were around just 2,000 votes in it - across the entire region. |
| Just after 8pm, Labour claimed victory - but we awaited the official result in Sandwell. | Just after 8pm, Labour claimed victory - but we awaited the official result in Sandwell. |
| And then it came. | And then it came. |
| A Labour victory. | A Labour victory. |
| We shouldn't be surprised. | We shouldn't be surprised. |
| The size of the swing to Labour in these elections elsewhere and their consistent national opinion poll ratings means they ought to be winning a race like this. | The size of the swing to Labour in these elections elsewhere and their consistent national opinion poll ratings means they ought to be winning a race like this. |
| It actually tells us something we already knew about Andy Street's capacity to outperform his party that it was so close. | It actually tells us something we already knew about Andy Street's capacity to outperform his party that it was so close. |
| He is a proud Conservative, but wears his affiliation lightly, and he came mighty close. | He is a proud Conservative, but wears his affiliation lightly, and he came mighty close. |
| But Tories also talked up the prospect of him winning and so his failure to do so deepens the wounds of this week for Rishi Sunak. | But Tories also talked up the prospect of him winning and so his failure to do so deepens the wounds of this week for Rishi Sunak. |
| Keir Starmer wears a broader smile tonight. | Keir Starmer wears a broader smile tonight. |
| ShareView more share optionsShare this postCopy this linkRead more about these links. | ShareView more share optionsShare this postCopy this linkRead more about these links. |
| Copy this link | Copy this link |