Stourbridge’s new MP says her work in the community was crucial for securing another Labour gain from the Conservatives.

Cat Eccles overturned a 13,500 Conservative majority as the three main Dudley borough parliamentary seats were captured by Labour.

The new Stourbridge MP is already well-known in the constituency as a local councillor and she believes that role helped her to win votes.

Cllr Eccles said: “As well as the national picture, I built up my profile over a number of years working in the community, campaigning to be a councillor and that combined together and built up to create a strong brand for myself within the Stourbridge area.

“We heard a lot of people tell us they were voting for Cat, they didn’t say they were voting for Labour.”

The new MP claimed victory after receiving 15,338 votes to deliver a majority of 3,073 over Conservative Suzanne Webb who polled 12,265 votes, Reform UK’s Richard Shaw third with 7,869 votes.

Ms Eccles is now set to take her seat in Westminster and pledged to keep her mind on local matters in London.

She said: “I want to make sure we get Stourbridge back on the map as a town that’s a place to come and visit to promote our history and our heritage.”

As Labour celebrated a big night in the borough of Dudley, their leader on Dudley Council agreed that MP’s should keep their home patch at the top of their agenda.

Cllr Pete Lowe said: “We want people deeply rooted within their local community, serving the people they represent and taking our message to Westminster and reporting back.”