Labour's Claire Ward Elected First East Midlands Mayor, Defeats Ben Bradley by Over 50,000 Votes

May 3, 2024, 03:37 PM

In a significant political development, Labour's Claire Ward has won the East Midlands mayoral election, defeating Conservative candidate Ben Bradley by a substantial margin. Ward's victory marks her as the region's first elected mayor. She secured a majority of over 50,000 votes, with final tallies showing Labour at 40.3% and the Conservatives at 28.8%. The turnout for the election was 28%. This election is particularly notable as it introduces the first mayor for the East Midlands, a region described by a Labour source as 'the beating heart of the general election battleground'. Claire Ward expressed her humility at the win and outlined her commitment to leveraging Westminster's power and funding for the region's benefit.