York and North Yorkshire has an elected Mayor for the first time – and he’s Labour’s David Skaith.
The York businessman had a 14,794 majority over his nearest rival, the Conservative candidate Keane Duncan.
The result of the election was announced today (Friday, May 3) in Harrogate after voters had gone to the polls yesterday.
A total of six candidates stood for election, and the results were:
- Felicity Clare Cunliffe-Lister, Liberal Democrats – 30,867 votes.
- Keane Charles Duncan, The Conservative Party – 51,967 votes.
- Kevin Foster, The Green Party – 15,188 votes.
- Paul Haslam, Independent – 12,370 votes.
- David Skaith, The Labour and Co-operative Party – 66,761 votes.
- Keith Graham Tordoff, Independent – 13,250 votes.
The turnout for the election was 29.89 per cent from the 640,012 people who are registered to vote in York and North Yorkshire.
The result will be a blow to Rishi Sunak, bringing a defeat in an area previously considered a Conservative stronghold and containing his own constituency of Richmond.
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A Labour Party spokesman said the result was “truly historic”, adding: “Keir Starmer’s Labour Party is now winning in Rishi Sunak’s backyard.
“The Prime Minister’s own constituents have taken a look at the two parties and chosen Labour.”
Mr Skaith will start in the role of Mayor on Tuesday (7 May). He will serve a four-year term, will develop close links with the Government to secure more funding and decision-making powers as the devolution deal evolves.
The deal includes an investment fund totalling £540 million over a 30-year term, which provides flexibility to target money to specific schemes on a more local level.
‘Worked so hard’
During his campaign, David Skaith made five main election pledges, promising to:
- Deliver a cost-of-living recovery plan
- Fight for more GP and dentist appointments
- Tackle crime and antisocial behaviour in urban, rural, and coastal areas
- Connect communities with a new transport system
- Champion York and North Yorkshire and attract new investment
Mr Skaith, who runs the Winstons men’s clothing shop in York, spoke to YorkMix after the declaration. He said he started to think he was going to win as support grew in the last week.
“A lot of people are tired of the last 14 years and really wanted to see something different,” he said.
“But we’ve worked so hard for this, every single day we’ve had our teams going out all over York and North Yorkshire, speaking to well over 1,000 people every day.
“We have put the work in and I think that shows. If you work hard and you make it about your region and you bring people along then they go out and support you – and I just want to say thank you to every single person who supported us.”
He starts work on Tuesday, but won’t be rushing into things. “The very first thing we need to remember is that this is a brand new combined authority.
“We need to set the foundations we need to get the right people in.
“So when we get into the office next week, it’s getting the people in who know how to deliver what we need to deliver – long-term plans.
“We’re not going to be rushing into crazy big policies.”
He said he couldn’t wait to start transforming York and North Yorkshire, working alongside the Labour mayors in South and West Yorkshire. “To be able to grow the whole of Yorkshire is going to be a real strength of ours.”
‘Today wasn’t my day’
Conservative candidate Keane Duncan started as the favourite to win the contest. “Today wasn’t my day. But I do feel proud and thank everyone who supported me,” he told YorkMix.
“I think national politics has been a big factor in this campaign inevitably. But for me, this has always been focused on York and North Yorkshire, about the people here, about our region. And I wish our new Mayor, Mayor Skaith, the best of luck.”
Mr Duncan’s idea to buy and renovate the Grand hotel in Scarborough went viral and attracted national coverage. But he said his campaign was more than social media – personal contact was key.
He said he had been across the region “trying to build trust. But unfortunately it wasn’t enough”.
What next? “I genuinely do not know. What I do know is I’m exhausted. I fought an impressive campaign – let’s see what happens next.”