Dudley’s new Labour MP says being a frontline NHS worker helped show voters she was someone they could trust.

Sonia Kumar regained Dudley for Labour by a majority of 1,900 to put another brick back in the red wall on a night when her party swept away their Tory opponents.

Dudley was previously in the hands of Conservative Marco Longhi but he could only manage second place with 10,315 while Reform UK’s Andrew Southall exceeded even his own expectations to finish a close third with 9,442 votes.

Sonia Kumar said: “People want trust in politics and I’m a frontline worker as an NHS physio, people want to see change and a fresh start. “They could see someone that’s passionate and not a career politician.

“I am so thrilled, it is the honour of a lifetime to go from being a physiotherapist to being the MP for Dudley. I couldn’t be any happier today.”

Ms Kumar says Labour’s agenda for the UK will be at the heart of her priorities as an MP and also paid tribute to her party’s leader. She added: “It is Labour’s plan for education, NHS services, to secure our borders, for safer streets and to break down barriers to opportunity.

“Keir Starmer has changed the party and changed Labour to be a party of service.”

Cat Eccles overturned a 13,500 Conservative majority. Stourbridge’s new MP says her work in the community was crucial for securing another Labour gain from the Conservatives.

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.”

Labour’s Alex Ballinger vowed to ‘deliver’ for his constituents after a crushing victory in Halesowen during a night of election drama. The former soldier swept aside Conservative James Morris who had been the MP for the region since 2010.

As Labour made huge gains across the country Halesowen’s new MP, who captured a majority of 4,364 was keeping his thoughts local. Mr Ballinger said:

“My job now is to deliver for the constituents of Halesowen, to make this work to get working people back to being the number one priority for the country.”

James Morris polled 10,659 votes while Reform UK’s Jonathan Oakton was third with 8,484 votes.

Mr Ballinger says his win was down to a combination of national issues and a strong campaign in the constituency. He said: “The Conservatives have delivered appallingly for the country over the last 14 years.

“Public services are failing and people have decided it is time for a change. “We ran a really positive campaign in Halesowen talking about how we can deliver for people.”

He added he will be focusing on the NHS and tackling crime and added: “People have given us a vote of confidence, it is testament to the hard work of the Labour party in Halesowen, Dudley and the country.”

As Labour celebrated winning the three seats which make up almost all of Dudley borough, their leader on Dudley Council, Cllr Pete Lowe, described the night’s events as incredible. He said: “This is a historic night beyond our wildest dreams – to take all three seats in the manner that we have done it.

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

People wanted change, they had seen enough over the last 14 years of what Conservative government brings to ordinary working families.”