“I’d
like to begin by saying thank you to the returning officer and their staff for
all their work in making sure this election runs smoothly.

 “I
also must thank my wife, Sophia, and our beautiful daughter, Hannah. Both are a
constant source of strength, love and inspiration to me. Without their support,
this campaign would not have been possible.

“Can
I also thank the police for all that they have done today and throughout the
campaign.

 “For
democracy to work it needs the support of dedicated public servants and here in
Stoke-on-Trent we can be proud to have some of the most dedicated in the
country.

“I’d also like to thank my agent George Sinnott, and the
incredible team of Labour Party workers and volunteers who have sustained this
campaign throughout. To see the energy and commitment that all of you have
shown these last few weeks is a reminder of the incredible strength and passion
of our movement.

“I feel profoundly humble to have been chosen by
the people of Stoke-on-Trent Central to represent them in Parliament.

“My wife Sophia and I chose to make our life here and it was the
best decision we ever made. I’m proud to call the Potteries my home, and I’m
prouder still to have been given the opportunity to represent our city as your
next MP.

“In recent weeks Stoke-on-Trent has found itself in the national
spotlight. Our city has been the focus of a media which all too often
prefers to dwell on our problems instead of highlighting our achievements.

“But over these last few weeks a city lazily dubbed by some as the
capital of Brexit has once again proven to the world that we are so
much more than that.

“We are a city of innovators and educators, artists and
entrepreneurs. We pioneered the first industrial revolution and I believe that
we have the potential to lead the next one.

“This city will not allow ourselves to be defined by last year’s
referendum. And we will not allow ourselves to be divided by the result.

“Nor will we be divided by race, or faith, or creed. We will move
forward together to tackle the problems that we face and secure a brighter,
more prosperous future for one another.

“So for those who have come to Stoke-on-Trent to sow hatred and
division, and to try to turn us away from our friends and neighbours, I have
one message – you have failed.

“Tonight the people of Stoke-on-Trent have chosen the politics of
hope over the politics of fear. We have said with one voice that hatred and
bigotry are not welcome here. This is a proud city and we stand together.

“This election is a victory for British values of tolerance and
respect. But it is also a victory for the proud Labour values that are the
hallmark of our city and its people.

“It is a message that the people of Stoke-on-Trent won’t just sit
back while this Tory government cuts our National Health Service to the bone
and puts the future of our public services at risk.

“It is a warning that we will not stand idly by while politicians
in Westminster pour ever-money into London and the South East while the rest of
the country is simply left to fend for itself.

“And it is a demand that the contribution our people have made to
this country is respected and rewarded with the support and investment we
deserve.

“Politics
can be passionate – and there have been moments in this campaign that have
polarised people.

“My
job – and it is the job of all of us here – will be to put this campaign behind
us – and work together.

“For those who voted for me in this election, thank you very much.
But for those who did not, or who did not vote at all, I want you to know that
I will be your representative as well.

“I will work every day to repay the trust that the people of
Stoke-on-Trent have placed in me.

 “I will be a strong, local voice that our city needs and I
will always put the people of Stoke-on-Trent first. I have a plan for the
Potteries, and that plan begins today.”

Baroness
(Angela) Smith of Basildon, Labour’s Leader in the House of Lords, in response
to reports of potential government concessions on the Article 50 Bill, said:

“Reports
that the Government is considering a serious concession on parliamentary
engagement and a vote on the negotiations are welcome.

“What
happens next is a pivotal moment and will determine the tone and trust in the
weeks, months and years to come on this issue.

“Ministers
have rightly conceded the need for a vote before the deal is concluded and we
welcome that.

“Our
amendment on a vote on the outcome of negotiations has been drafted by taking
note of what happened in the Commons, including ministerial comments, as well
as expert advice from peers in the Lords debates. The Government will have
heard the senior cross bench peer and former Supreme Court judge Lord Hope’s
speech about the need for further
legislation should this Bill not be amended.

“We
believe we would win that vote. The Government of course could try to overturn
it in the Commons.

“But
rather than Ministers just holding to the line that they won’t amend the bill
but will make a statement on the record, it would be a positive and mature
signal for future progress of legislation if having accepted the principle they
write this into the bill.”

Ends

The new ElecLink electricity connection between Britain and France will provide greater access to the continental electricity market, and help to reduce consumer bills as electricity can be flexibly imported and exported to take advantage of cheaper prices.

The project will run through the Channel Tunnel between Sellindge in the UK and Les Mandarins in France. It will have the capacity to power up to 2 million homes and provide further resilience for Britain’s electricity supply.

A combination of domestic electricity generation including new nuclear power, gas and renewables, as well as increased access for importing and exporting electricity supplies from Europe, means homes and businesses will have reliable power at the lowest possible price all year round.

Thanks to the Government’s supportive regulatory framework, including allowing interconnectors to participate in the Capacity Market, and innovative solutions from the developer, this major new piece of infrastructure will be financed on a purely commercial basis, with no risk to British tax and bill payers.

UK Energy Minister Jesse Norman said:

As a government we are strongly supportive of greater electricity trading with our European partners in order to lower household bills and deliver energy security as part of our modern industrial strategy.

We’ve created the right environment for cooperative projects like ElecLink to attract investment and compete in the market without needing financial support from our tax and bill payers.

The ElecLink interconnector is one of the most advanced new interconnection projects across Europe and the first of its kind between Britain and France since 1986, when the existing IFA (Interconnexion France-Angleterre) interconnector was commissioned.

ElecLink has said that the new interconnector will:

• Provide a gigawatt (1000MW) of electricity connection between the UK and France, enough capacity to power up to 2 million homes
• Reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 6 million tonnes over the period 2020-2030, by enabling electricity demand in Britain and France to be met by the most efficient generating plants
• Create approximately 300 new jobs during the construction phase

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Groupe Eurotunnel Jacques Gounon said:

ElecLink further underlines how important the Channel Tunnel is to Britain and France. Not only is it a vital transport link, it is set to play an instrumental part in the supply of electricity to the UK, France and continental Europe.

With the debate over the future of energy security brought into focus recently, ElecLink delivers a smart, low-cost and environmentally friendly way to secure the electricity supply. We are proud to be inaugurating ElecLink and delighted to mark the official start of this great project which will significantly benefit the economies and consumers in both France and the United Kingdom.