The most important people I want to say thank you to are the people of Crewe and Nantwich because throughout this campaign and throughout the last 34 years of my life I have been shown such generosity and warmth from the people of Crewe and Nantwich that I will never forget it. But I know also that they showed that same generosity and warmth to my mother during her 34 years as their representative. She was indeed completely and utterly dedicated to this seat. She served it well as a parliamentarian and that was something that I will hold in high esteem as I know many many people here in Crewe and Nantwich do too.

I also want to say thank you to all of my team of volunteers. No person could possibly, no candidate could, possibly have had such a good team of volunteers and we have had hundreds and hundreds of volunteers both locally and from across Britain who have come out to help us.

This was a difficult mid-term by-election. We all knew that that was going to be the case. But the one thing that my mother always taught me is that the Labour Party in adversity and in the good times holds strong, stays united as part of a wider family of the Labour movement. So we will continue to fight, we will continue to stand up for those who need standing up for, we will continue to fight for what is right.

I want to say it is indeed an honour to serve the people of Crewe and Nantwich and it is an honour that I hope the new MP will take very seriously; I know you will. But every one of us will be watching you, and I’d like to say a very big thank you to everybody.