Catherine Fookes speaks at Monmouthshire declaration
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00:00I want to thank the returning officer, Electoral Services, all the fantastic staff that have
00:19worked so hard today and in the run-up to this election, and all those around the county
00:25in every single polling station and elsewhere, also the police for the hard work in making
00:31today run so smoothly. I want to pay a big tribute to David as our outgoing MP. Whilst
00:41our politics may be different, you have given 25 years' service to the people of Monmouthshire,
00:46first in the Senedd and then in Westminster. I know that you care deeply about the people
01:00of Monmouthshire and I want to give you my personal assurance that the constituency is
01:04in safe hands. Thank you to the people of Monmouthshire. You've sent a very clear message
01:14at the ballot box today. The result was possible because thousands of you here put country
01:21before party and trusted Labour with their votes for the first time in a generation.
01:29I don't take that trust lightly and I know you will hold us accountable for the change
01:34we have promised. I want to thank all my friends and my family too, especially my wonderful
01:43husband and my two boys who have given me unwavering support and they've always reminded
01:49me who I am and why I am doing this. Thank you also to Vaughan Gething and Keir Starmer
01:55for their support in this campaign to win Monmouthshire. A heartfelt thank you to my
02:01agent Peter, to Bridie and Ryan who have led an astonishing campaign here. The amazing
02:12campaign team, there are too many of you to mention but you know who you are and you absolutely
02:16smashed it. Also thank you to the entire Labour team for leading a campaign which has been
02:24really professional, really positive and really passionate. Your efforts are the reasons for
02:31this success and it belongs to each and every one of you. Thank you also to the other candidates
02:40here this evening for conducting positive campaigns. In particular I really want to
02:45salute Owen Lewis. I think Monmouthshire should be really proud to have someone like Lewis,
02:56sorry like Owen, ready to put himself through the daunting process of a general election
03:01campaign without any of the party machinery behind him. For everyone in Monmouthshire,
03:09those who voted for me, those who voted differently and those who stayed home, I promise to represent
03:16you all, to be your voice in Parliament and always to be on your side. What I found knocking
03:26doors talking to people here in Monmouthshire is we are a vibrant, diverse, warm and welcoming
03:32community and throughout this campaign it has become really clear that there is far
03:37more that unites us than divides us. So my final thank you goes to the people of Monmouthshire.
03:47You've put your faith in me, voted for change and supported a Labour party with a clear
03:54and positive vision for our future. I won't let you down. Diolch yn fawr iawn.