West Midlands Mayoral election result: Labour's Richard Parker beats Andy Street by just 1,500 votes

The Conservatives were hoping Mr Street could provide a morale-boosting win for them after the party lost more than 470 councillors in this year's local elections, as well as mayoral races in the North East, York and North Yorkshire and the East Midlands.

But their hopes were dashed when Mr Parker was declared the winner at Birmingham's International Convention Centre.

Both the Tories and Labour had predicted a close contest, and that's how it played out with the winning margin being just 1,508.

A recount in Coventry showed the tension, though Labour won in that authority by more than 9,000 votes.

Labour also won in Birmingham, Sandwell and Wolverhampton, with the Tories coming out on top in Dudley, Solihull and Walsall.

After six declarations, Mr Street led with 205,484 votes, compared to Mr Parker's 194,029, meaning Labour needed 11,446 more votes in the final count of Sandwell to emerge victorious.

In the end Labour had an advantage of 12,963 votes in Sandwell, with Mr Parker finishing on 225,590, compared to Mr Street's 224,082.

Mr Parker began his victory speech by thanking Mr Street.

Paying tribute, he praised his predecessor and said: "You have led this region through a number of great challenges and you deserve great credit for that.

"You deserve credit for building up the Combined Authority into the powerhouse it is, through the economic shocks and leading the region when it came out of Covid.

"You've been out there representing our region and I absolutely believe that while our politics are different, we both have the best interests of the West Midlands at heart.

An emotional Mr Parker then thanked supporters and voters, including his wife.

"This is the most important thing I will ever do," he continued.

"This week people here voted for the person and the party. They recognise that a Labour Mayor can make a positive difference in this region.

"You have put your trust in me and I will repay that trust. I will deliver for you and your families. I promise you that I will deliver jobs, we will fix our public transport system, we will build the homes you need, and we will give this region the fresh start it richly deserves."

Mr Parker has promised to work with council leaders across the region, saying he will 'stand up and support them', before turning his attention to the PM.

"Up and down the country people are calling for a fresh start. I hope the Prime Minister is watching as well, because in case you haven't heard Rishi Sunak, our people are calling for a general election."

Taking to the lectern after Mr Parker, the outgoing Mayor thanked his opponents for the "courteous" campaign.

He went on to congratulate the Labour winner, saying: "I wish him all the strength and wisdom as he takes on this role."

Mr Street apologised he couldn't secure a hat-trick of election wins for the Conservatives.

Reflecting on his time as Mayor, "It has been my honour to lead and to serve this place for the last seven years. I hope I have done it with dignity and integrity and I hope I've bequeathed to Richard a Combined Authority and a role to which young aspiring leaders will want to aspire one day.

"In a sense I could have done no more than that.

"It has been a great privilege but tonight, I just want to say thank you and goodnight."

In Birmingham, independent candidate Akhmed Yakoob, who focused his campaign on the situation in Gaza, and Labour's initial unwillingness to call for a ceasefire, pulled in 42,923 votes.

Speaking to the BBC earlier in the day, Labour’s Jess Phillips, a Birmingham MP who quit the shadow front bench over Sir Keir Starmer's stance on the Israel-Hamas war, said she believed her party’s initial refusal to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza had cost them votes.

“I’d be lying if I said if I said this hasn’t been an issue that hurt the Labour party in this election," she said.

"This is a political issue that the people here care about."

Earlier in the day, Labour also won the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner election.

Incumbent Simon Foster retained his office and enjoyed a 4.5 per cent swing towards him, attracting 327,844 votes compared to Conservative candidate Thomas Byrne's 241,827.

Full West Midlands Mayoral election results by region

Birmingham

Siobhan Harper-Nunes, Green Party - 12,879

Richard Parker, Labour - 80,251

Andy Street, Conservative - 66,296

Sunny Virk, Liberal Democrat - 3,722

Elaine Williams, Reform UK - 9,086

Akhmed Yakoob, Independent - 42,923

Coventry

Siobhan Harper-Nunes, Green Party - 4,292

Richard Parker, Labour - 32,704

Andy Street, Conservative - 23,237

Sundeep Virk, Liberal Democrat - 2,711

Elaine Williams, Reform UK - 3,943

Akhmed Yakoob, Independent - 3,639

Dudley

Siobhan Harper-Nunes, Green Party - 2,913

Richard Parker, Labour - 24,807

Andy Street, Conservative - 37,345

Sundeep Virk, Liberal Democrat - 1,163

Elaine Williams, Reform UK - 5,431

Akhmed Yakoob, Independent - 3,874

Sandwell

Siobhan Harper-Nunes, Green Party - 2,722

Richard Parker, Labour - 31,561

Andy Street, Conservative - 18,598

Sundeep Virk, Liberal Democrat - 1,201

Elaine Williams, Reform UK - 4,347

Akhmed Yakoob, Independent - 7,026

Solihull

Siobhan Harper-Nunes, Green Party - 3,582

Richard Parker, Labour - 11,728

Andy Street, Conservative - 35,289

Sundeep Virk, Liberal Democrat - 1,546

Elaine Williams, Reform UK - 2,887

Akhmed Yakoob, Independent - 1,454

Walsall

Siobhan Harper-Nunes, Green Party - 2,127

Richard Parker, Labour - 18,097

Andy Street, Conservative - 24,735

Sundeep Virk, Liberal Democrat - 847

Elaine Williams, Reform UK - 5,247

Akhmed Yakoob, Independent - 8,451

Wolverhampton

Siobhan Harper-Nunes, Green Party - 2,521

Richard Parker, Labour - 26,442

Andy Street, Conservative - 18,582

Sundeep Virk, Liberal Democrat - 986

Elaine Williams, Reform UK - 3,530

Akhmed Yakoob, Independent - 2,254

Total

Siobhan Harper-Nunes, Green Party - 31,036

Richard Parker, Labour - 225,590

Andy Street, Conservative - 224,082

Sundeep Virk, Liberal Democrat - 12,176

Elaine Williams, Reform UK - 34,471

Akhmed Yakoob, Independent - 69,621

West Midlands Mayor election turnout

Birmingham

Electorate - 760,404

Total verified votes - 216,492

Turnout - 28.47 per cent

Coventry

Electorate - 241,267

Total verified votes - 71,215

Turnout - 29.52 per cent

Dudley

Electorate - 234,612

Total verified votes - 76,116

Turnout - 32.44 per cent

Sandwell

Electorate - 232,636

Total verified votes - 66,296

Turnout - 28.50 per cent

Solihull

Electorate - 162,529

Total verified votes - 56,805

Turnout - 34.95 per cent

Walsall

Electorate - 199,862

Total verified votes - 59,983

Turnout - 30.01 per cent

Wolverhampton

Electorate - 187,236

Total verified votes - 54,806

Turnout - 29.27 per cent

Total

Electorate - 2,018,546

Total verified votes - 601,713

Turnout - 29.81 per cent