Luke Campbell has promised to do ‘everything he can to make this place better’ after winning the Hull and East Yorkshire Mayoral election.
It was announced at the Haltemprice Leisure Centre that Mr Campbell had won the election, receiving the most votes in both the Hull City Council and East Riding Council districts.
Overall Mr Campbell received 48,491 votes, more than ten thousand more than the Liberal Democrats’ Mike Ross who came in second place.
He told the LDRS : “I am very humbled that people have put their trust in me to be Mayor of this region and my message to them is that I promise I’ll do everything I can to make this place better and put the people first. Thank you for voting for me.”
Mr Campbell will officially take on the role as Mayor on Tuesday May 6, and asked what his main priorities will be in the early days and weeks of his mayoralty, he said: “Firstly I’ve got meetings booked in for Monday, I need to sit down with the Combined Authority team to see how everything is set up there and meet everyone there, I want to hit the ground running, I really do, but there’s a lot of work to do.”
“I’ve said what my main priorities are all the way through this campaign, that doesn’t change.”
Mr Campbell previously told the LDRS that his main three priorities are:
- Hold councils to account on spending
- ‘Fix the bus network’
- Securing more funding than the current devolution deal provides
Asked what changes he wants to have made in the region by the end of his first term and before voters decide if they will re-elect him, he said: “We want our work to scream louder than our words. Look at this region, you’ve got one of the highest unemployment rates going, I certainly want to bring that right down
“I want to use my platform as something positive, bring investment in, create jobs. Look at our city centre, look at our rural towns, we’ve lost pride, every other shop is derelict. I want to sit down with the councils and discuss what we can do with local businesses.”
Finally, Mr Campbell reacted to the wider local election results across England and the success that his party, Reform UK, have had, including in the Greater Lincolnshire Mayoral election. He was asked what message Reform UK’s success sends to the Conservatives and the Labour Party. He said: “I think it sends a massive message” and added “it’s telling you one thing, we need a change and change is coming.”
By: Andrew Spence, LDRS
